Geraldo Andrade Carvalho

Silicon and acibenzolar-S-methyl as resistance inducers in cucumber, against the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) biotype B

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of calcium silicate (CaSiO3) and of the activator acibenzolar-S-methyl (BTH) on resistance induction in cucumber, against the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) biotype B. Antibiosis, free-choice and no-choice preference tests were conducted in a greenhouse and at laboratory of the, Departamento de Entomologia of the Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), MG, Brazil. The design was completely randomized, with the following treatments: 1) control; 2) application of 3 g calcium silicate.kg-1 of substrate; 3) two 200ml applications of 1% calcium silicate solution per pot; 4) two 100ml applications of 0.005% BTH solution per pot; and 5) application of calcium silicate and BTH at the rates used for treatments 3 and 4. To eliminate the effect of calcium, treatment 1 (control) received 1g of calcium carbonate (control). Calcium silicate and BTH diminished the whitefly population by reducing oviposition and increasing cycle length and mortality at the nymphal stage and can be chemical alternatives for the whitefly integrated management in cucumber.

Development of biomarkers of exposure to xenobiotics in the honey bee Apis mellifera: application to the systemic insecticide thiamethoxam.

This study describes the development of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), carboxylesterases (CaE1, CaE2, CaE3), glutathion-S-transferase (GST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and catalase (CAT) as enzyme biomarkers of exposure to xenobiotics such as thiamethoxam in the honey bee Apis mellifera. Extraction efficiency, stability under freezing and biological variability were studied. The extraction procedure achieved good recovery rates in one extraction step and ranged from 65 percent (AChE) to 97.3 percent (GST). Most of the enzymes were stable at -20°C, except ALP that displayed a slight but progressive decrease in its activity. Modifications of enzyme activities were considered after exposure to thiamethoxam at the lethal dose 50 percent (LD(50), 51.16 ng bee(-1)) and two sublethal doses, LD(50)/10 (5.12 ng bee(-1)) and LD(50)/20 (2.56 ng bee(-1)). The biomarker responses revealed that, even at the lowest dose used, exposure to thiamethoxam elicited sublethal effects and modified the activity of CaEs, GST, CAT and ALP. Different patterns of biomarker responses were observed: no response for AChE, an increase for GST and CAT, and differential effects for CaEs isoforms with a decrease in CaE1 and CaE3 and an increase in CaE2. ALP and CaE3 displayed contrasting variations but only at 2.56 ng bee(-1). We consider that this profile of biomarker variation could represent a useful fingerprint to characterise exposure to thiamethoxam in the honey bee A. mellifera. This battery of honey bee biomarkers might be a promising option to biomonitor the health of aerial and terrestrial ecosystems and to generate valuable information on the modes of action of pesticides.

Effect of sodium silicate application on the resistance of wheat plants to the green-aphids Schizaphis graminum (Rond.) (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

O pulgao-verde Schizaphis graminum (Rond.) e importante praga do trigo, causando danos as plantas em todos os estagios fenologicos da cultura. Este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o efeito da aplicacao de silicio na resistencia de plantas de trigo a esta praga. Foram conduzidos ensaios em casa-de-vegetacao e em laboratorio. O experimento em casa de vegetacao foi conduzido em delineamento experimental completamente casualizado com dois tratamentos, que consistiram na aplicacao de silicio e testemunha (sem aplicacao), e dez repeticoes, sem controle ambiental. Os bioensaios em laboratorio foram realizados em câmara climatizada, a temperatura de 25 ± 1°C, umidade relativa de 70 ± 10% e fotofase de 12h, com delineamento experimental de blocos ao acaso, em esquema de parcelas subdivididas. O silicio, na forma de solucao de silicato de sodio a 0,4% de SiO2 foi aplicado na dose de 50 ml/vaso, por seis vezes, em intervalos de cinco dias, sendo a primeira realizada cinco dias apos a emergencia das plantas de trigo. A partir do 35o dia apos a emergencia das plantas foram realizadas as seguintes avaliacoes: a) preferencia em teste com chance de escolha em laboratorio; b) preferencia em teste com chance de escolha em casa-de-vegetacao; e c) reproducao e desenvolvimento do pulgao-verde em laboratorio. A aplicacao de silicato de sodio reduziu a preferencia, a longevidade e a producao de ninfas do pulgao-verde S. graminum, conferindo, portanto, resistencia as plantas de trigo a este inseto-praga.

Silicon influence on the tritrophic interaction: wheat plants, the greenbug Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), and its natural enemies, Chrysoperla externa (Hagen) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) and Aphidius colemani viereck (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae)

We studied the tritrophic interaction: wheat, greenbug Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) and its key natural enemies, Chrysoperla externa (Hagen) and Aphidius colemani Viereck, in plants with or without silicon fertilization. Treatments consisted of: 1) silicon application via the leaves; 2) silicon application in the soil 3) control (no application). The evaluations consisted of: a) free-choice aphid preference test in the laboratory, from the 35th day after plant emergence, and b) biological aspects of the immature stages of predator C. externa, feeding on aphids reared on plants from the different treatments. Two treatments were tried in the bioassays involving A. colemani: 1) silicon application in the soil, and 2) control (no application). The biological traits evaluated were: duration of the immature stage, longevity, sex ratio, total developmental time, and percentage parasitism. Silicon application increased the degree of resistance in wheat plants, decreasing greenbug preference in relation to the control. This result could be related to the mechanical barrier provided by silica deposition in the cell wall, which would make it difficult for the stylet to penetrate the plant tissue, as well as an increase in the synthesis of plant defense compounds. However, no indirect effect of silicon application was observed on the biological traits of either the predator or the parasitoid.

Bioactivity of compounds from Acmella oleracea against Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) and selectivity to two non-target species.

BACKGROUND Tropical plants are recognised sources of bioactive compounds that can be used for pest control. The objective of this study was to evaluate the biological activity of compounds present in Acmella oleracea (Asteracea) against Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), which is the main pest of tomato crops in Latin America. The selectivity of these compounds to the predator Solenopsis saevissima (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and to the pollinator Tetragonisca angustula (Latr.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae: Meliponinae) was also of interest. RESULTS A bioassay screening with hexane and ethanol extracts from 23 plants was performed. The hexane extract of A. oleraceae was the most active of the extracts and was selected for further study. The following three alkamides were isolated from a hexane extract of the aerial parts of A. oleracea: spilanthol, (E)-N-isobutylundeca-2-en-8,10-diynamide and (R, E)-N-(2-methylbutyl)undeca-2-en-8,10-diynamide. All of the isolated compounds showed insecticidal activity, with spilanthol being the most active (LD(50) = 0.13 µg mg(-1) ) against T. absoluta. The alkamides were selective to both beneficial species studied. CONCLUSION The crude hexane extract of A. oleraceae showed high insecticidal activity and can be used to control T. absoluta in organic or conventional crops. Quantification of LD(50) values of isolated compounds against T. absoluta showed that alkamides could serve as potent insecticides for T. absoluta control programmes. Spilanthol was the main alkamide active isolated. This alkamide is the most promising as it has the highest insecticidal activity and is selective to non-target organisms.

Non-target effects of chlorantraniliprole and thiamethoxam on Chrysoperla carnea when employed as sunflower seed treatments

The use of systemic insecticides as seed treatments has raised concern about the possible impacts of these products on natural enemies. This study assessed the effects of sunflower seed treatments with chlorantraniliprole and thiamethoxam on Chrysoperla carnea by exposing larvae and adults to sunflower stem segments grown from treated seeds and the nectar secreted by their extrafloral nectaries. Confinement of larvae with stem segments for their entire developmental period had no effect on their survival or any life history parameter, except that the sex ratio of resulting adults was lower in the thiamethoxam treatment than in chlorantraniliprole. However, when adult pairs of C. carnea were exposed to treated stem segments during their maturation period, their subsequent survival and fecundity was significantly reduced by both materials, with thiamethoxam reducing median survival (LT50) and fecundity to a greater degree than chlorantraniliprole. Insufficient offspring were obtained from adults exposed to thiamethoxam to permit assessment of their fitness, but the offspring in the chlorantraniliprole-exposed adults had reduced larval survival relative to controls. The greater impact of seed treatments on adult lacewings may be partly attributable to their greater consumption of extra-floral nectar. Our results indicate that seed treatment with systemic insecticides can cause negative effects on beneficial insects, potentially disrupting their population dynamics, and should not be assumed compatible with biological control and IPM simply because this mode of application limits direct exposure.

Enzymatic biomarkers as tools to assess environmental quality: A case study of exposure of the honeybee Apis mellifera to insecticides

The present study was intended to evaluate the responses of enzymes in the honeybee Apis mellifera after exposure to deltamethrin, fipronil, and spinosad and their use as biomarkers. After determination of the median lethal doses (LD50), honeybees were exposed at doses of 5.07 ng/bee and 2.53 ng/bee for deltamethrin, 0.58 ng/bee and 0.29 ng/bee for fipronil, and 4.71 ng/bee and 2.36 ng/bee for spinosad (equivalent to 1/10th [LD50/10] and 1/20th [LD50/20] of the LD50, respectively). The responses of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), carboxylesterases (CaEs-1-3), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were assessed. The results showed that deltamethrin, fipronil, and spinosad modulated these biomarkers differentially. For the enzyme involved in the defense against oxidative stress, fipronil and spinosad induced CAT activity. For the remaining enzymes, 3 response profiles were identified. First, exposure to deltamethrin induced slight effects and modulated only CaE-1 and CaE-2, with opposite effects. Second, spinosad exhibited an induction profile for most of the biomarkers, except AChE. Third, fipronil did not modulate AChE, CaE-2, or GST, increased CAT and CaE-1, and decreased ALP. Thus, this set of honeybee biomarkers appears to be a promising tool to evaluate environmental and honeybee health, and it could generate fingerprints to characterize exposures to pesticides.

Seletividade de inseticidas usados na cultura da macieira a ovos de Chrysoperla externa (Hagen, 1861) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae)

The effect of some insecticides on larvae of two populations of Chrysoperla externa (Hagen, 1861) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) from Bento Goncalves and Vacaria, RS were evaluated under laboratory conditions (25±2°C, RH of 70±10% and 12 hours-photophase). The compounds were used at commercial or research concentrations used to control oriental fruit moth, leaf roller and fruit fly on apple orchards. The products and rates (g ou mL of formulated product/100L of water) evaluated were: phosmet (Imidan 500 PM - 200), methoxyfenozide (Intrepid 240 SC - 60), tebufenozide (Mimic 240 SC - 60), emamectin benzoate (Proclain 5 SG - 15), spinosad (Tracer 480 SC - 20), etofenprox (Trebon 100 SC - 150) and chlorpyrifos (Lorsban 480 BR - 150), using water as control. Spraying of insecticides was on first-instar larvae using the Potter tower. The survival rate and duration, larval and pupal development time and, fecundity and fertility of survivor adults were evaluated. The toxic effect of each product was estimated by the total effect (E) according to the IOBC recommendations. Emamectin benzoate was classified as harmless (class 1) to first-instar larvae of C. externa from Bento Goncalves. Methoxyfenozide, etofenprox, tebufenozide, spinosad and phosmet were classified as slightly harmful (class 2), and chlorpyrifos was classified as harmful (class 4). Emamectin benzoate was harmless; fosmet was moderately harmful (class 3), and chlorpyrifos was harmful to the C. externa from Vacaria.

Feeding non-preference of the corn leaf aphid Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch, 1856) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) to corn plants (Zea mays L.) treated with silicon

Uma tatica para o controle do pulgao-do-milho Rhopalosiphum maids (Fitch, 1856) seria a utilizacao de materiais resistentes, porem, por nao se tratar de uma praga-chave da cultura, nao ha, ainda, disponibilidade de genotipos de milho com essas caracteristicas. Assim com o presente trabalho objetivou-se avaliar o efeito do silicio na preferencia do pulgao-da-folha em plantas de milho. Os tratamentos consistiram na aplicacao de silicio via solo e/ou foliar e testemunha. Foram realizados testes de nao-preferencia com folhas destacadas e diretamente em plantas de milho. Verificou-se que os tratamentos nos quais o silicio foi aplicado via solo mais uma adubacao foliar, ou mediante duas aplicacoes foliares, foram os que apresentaram menor numero de pulgoes, aumentando a resistencia das folhas e dificultando a alimentacao desses insetos. De modo geral, o silicio afetou a preferencia do pulgao-da-folha.

Selectivity evaluation of insecticides used to control tomato pests to Trichogramma pretiosum

The effects of the insecticides abamectin, acetamiprid, cartap and chlorpyrifos on larvae, pupae (within the host egg) and adults of the egg parasitoid Trichogramma pretiosum Riley (Hym.: Trichogrammatidae) were evaluated under laboratory conditions, using three standard tests described by IOBC. When sprayed on the immature stages of this parasitoid, cartap and chlorpyrifos proved to be the most harmful insecticides, affecting both the emergence success and parasitism capacity of this parasitoid, whereas abamectin and acetamiprid were selective. Abamectin was harmful to adults (residue test on glass plates), slightly harmful to larvae, and moderately harmful to pupae (sprayed on the immature stages within host eggs Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller)); acetamiprid was moderately harmful to adults, harmless to larvae, and slightly harmful to pupae; cartap was harmful to adults, moderately harmful to larvae and harmful to pupae; chlorpyrifos to adults, harmless to larvae and harmful to pupae.