Ildon Rodrigues do Nascimento

Transport, pathogenicity and transmissibility of fungi associated with physic nut seeds.

The objective of the present study was to determine the transport rate of a fungus population associated with Jatropha curcas seeds and the pathogenicity of these microrganisms to seedlings and fruit and also the fruit-seed and seed-seedling transmissibility. The transport rate of seeds produced in Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo, Bahia and Tocantins states was evaluated using the blotter test. The seeds were submitted to the following treatments: without disinfestation, with tegument (SDCT), without disinfestation, without tegument (SDST), with disinfestation, with tegument (CDCT) and with disinfestations, without tegument (CDST). The incidence (%) of the fungi was assessed using a binocular stereomicroscope. Suspensions of 106 spores and PDA discs with mycelium were inoculated for the pathogenicity tests on seedlings and fruits, respectively. For the phytopathogenic fungi, the fruit-seed and seed-seedling transmissibility were evaluated. The SDCT treatment allowed the detection of a greater number of fungi. The identified fungi were Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, C. capsici, Curvularia sp., Verticillium sp., Fusarium sp., Penicillium sp., Aspergillus sp., A. Niger, Rhizopus sp. Only the Colletotrichum species is pathogenic to seedlings and fruit. For both species there is fruit-seed transmissibility but no seed-seedling transmission.

Agroecological Strategies for Arthropod Pest Management in Brazil

There is a need to implement a new approach to pest control in which agroecological strategies are developed and adapted in a site-specific way to highly variable and diverse farm conditions typical of farms in tropical regions such as Brazil. It has become evident that the conventional agriculture based on high use of external inputs and oriented to maximize profits, has often been detrimental and unviable when considered from social and ecological perspectives. Pest problems, for example, are generally related to high input, single-crop agroecosystems. We discuss here agroecological strategies such as conservation biological control, use of natural pesticides and selectivity of synthetic and natural pesticides as a way to conserve and increase natural enemies efficiency in Brazilian agroecosystems. In addition, we discuss some patents related to agroecological pest management.