Pedro Boff

Homeopathic and high dilution preparations for pest management to tomato crop under organic production system

Tomato crops (Solanum lycopersicum) under conventional production system are constantly treated against pest and diseases, with organic synthetic pesticides that are used may cause serious disturbance to environment and human health. This research was carried out in order to study the effect of homeopathic and high dilution preparations on pests and diseases management of tomato crop under organic production system. Two experiments were conducted under field conditions and one in greenhouse. All of them in randomized block design with the cultivar Santa Cruz Kada. The treatments consisted of homeopathic preparations Staphysagria, Arsenicum album, Sulphur, Arnica montana, high dilution preparations of Solanum lycopersicum and Solanum aculeatissimum, at the decimal (DH) or centesimal (CH) scale of hahnemanian high dilution. Bordeaux mixture, cupric preparation, and Bacillus thuringiensis were also included in weight doses. The preparation Arnica montana 12DH increased the tomato yield under field conditions. The damage incidence of small borer was efficiently reduced with applications of Sulphur 12CH that equalling to B. thuringiensis. The same treatment did not reduce the large borers. B. thuringiensis reduced also the septoria leaf spot incidence in the field. In greenhouse, the high dilution preparation of tomato at 12DH completely suppressed the septoria leaf spot and drastically reduced the same disease at 24DH. The homeopathic and high dilution preparations have the potential to be effective on replacing pesticides that are used on tomato, and could be suitable to fill legal requirement for organic production system.

Qualidade e sanidade de mudas de cebola em função da adição de composto termófilo

The effect of thermophilic compost on onion diseases and seedling quality used as basic fertiliser or bed cover was evaluated. The research was carried out in 1993 and 1994 in Ituporanga, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. Three experiments were conducted in randomised blocks with six replicates. The treatments were thermophilic compost, mineral fertilizer and organic-mineral fertilisers. In another experiment, the compost and the mineral fertiliser were combined with six plant densities in a factorial design experiment. For the seed bed coverage, new and one-year-old Pinus sawdust, soil, and thermophilic compost were evaluated using a randomised block design with four replicates. Thermophilic compost showed higher emergence and survival of onion transplants than organic-mineral and mineral fertiliser. The thermophilic compost increased the survival of onion transplants (101.4 pl/m2) and reduced Botrytis squamosa intensity (51.7%) when compared with the mineral fertiliser (87.7 pl/m2 and 56.8%) regardless of plant density. Onion seedlings grown on seedbeds covered with compost presented higher emergence (146.1 pl/m2) and survival of seedlings (134.8 pl/m2) than those grown using only soil as coverage (90.2 and 77.5 pl/m2, respectively). The occurrence of damping-off did not differ between treatments with fertilisers alone or treatments in which coverage was used in the seedbed.

High dilution of Staphysagria and fruit fly biotherapic preparations to manage South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus, in organic peach orchards

The peach, Prunus persica, is an important economic crop in southern Brazil, where family farms are predominantly small. The South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus is a limiting factor to increased production in orchard crops. Increased organic production in Brazil has stimulated research to find ecological based pest management. This research was carried out in order to evaluate the efficacy of preparations at high dilution in managing A. fraterculus in organic peach orchards. Experiments were conducted under field conditions in randomized blocks during 2003/04 and 2004/05. Treatments consisted of A. fraterculus nosodes and Staphysagria homeopathic preparations, both at two high dilution levels, 3CH and 6CH (centesimal hahnemannian dilution method), applied at two spray intervals, 5 and 10 days, and a control. Fruit losses due to A. fraterculus infestation varied from 40 to 98.3%. Although there were significant differences among treatments in the first harvest of two of the three experiments there were no significant differences in the second harvest of any of the experiments. None of the homeopathic preparations reduced the incidence of infested fruit significantly below that of the water control in any of the three experiments. Further studies must combine other strategies such as bagging fruits and planting of early season cultivars. Variation on high dilution potency, dose, and frequency of application must also be considered.

Incidência do míldio em cebola sob adubação mineral e orgânica

The incidence of downy mildew, Peronospora destructor Berk. Casp., in onion growing in chemical and organic fertilized plots was evaluated in Ituporanga, Santa Catarina State, Brazil. Two experiments were carried out between August to December 1998. The treatments in the first experiment with organic sources were: 75.0 kg/ha of N (swine manure; poultry manure; compost; turkey manure; humus); 37.5 kg/ha of N (swine manure half dose); control (NPK, 30-120-60 kg/ha of N-P2O5-K2O) and double rate of NPK (60-240-120 kg/ha of N-P2O5-K2O); and unfertilized control. In mineral fertilization experiment, the mineral levels were 1 and 3 times the recommended rates based on soil analysis: 30-120-60 kg/ha of N-P2O5-k2O; 90-360-180 kg/ha of N-P2O5-K2O; 75.0 kg/ha of N; 225.0 kg/ha of N; 80.0 kg/ha of P2O5; 240.0 kg/ha of P2O5; 60.0 kg/ha of K20; 180.0 kg/ha of K20. Control plots with organic fertilization received swine manure + phosphate rock in three treatments (75.0 kg/ha of N + 80.0 kg/ha of P2O5; 225.0 kg/ha of N + 240.0 kg/ha of P2O5; 37.5 kg/ha of N + 40.0 kg/ha of P2O5) and unfertilized check. Downy mildew incidence was similar between treatments with fertilizer and no fertilizer check. Mineral fertilization did not increase downy mildew incidence compared to the organic treatments. The relationship between nutrient and disease varied according to sampling date and differed for mineral and organic sources.

Preparados homeopáticos en el crecimiento y en la producción de repollo cultivado en sistema orgânico

El repollo es consumido preferencialmente in natura y en muchos casos es producido de manera convencional, dejando trazas de residuos quimicos, lo cual puede generar afecciones directas sobre la salud del consumidor y del agricultor. El objetivo del trabajo fue evaluar la influencia de preparados homeopaticos en altas diluciones en el crecimiento de plantulas y en la produccion de repollo, en sistema organico. El trabajo fue compuesto por cinco experimentos para estudiar nueve tratamientos con cuatro repeticiones siendo la conduccion de tres experimentos en invernadero, utilizando el diseno experimental de bloques completos al azar, y de dos experimentos en el campo utilizando el diseno experimental de bloques al azar. Los tratamientos estudiados fueron los preparados de Arnica montana,Silicea terra, Carbo vegetabilisy Sulphur en la 6CH y 30CH (orden de dilucion centesimal hahnemanniana); y agua como testigo. Sulphur6CH aumento en dos de los tres experimentos la altura y la longitud de raiz en relacion al testigo, en plantulas de repollo. Silicea terra 30CH y Sulphur6CH aumentaron la produccion y la materia seca de cabezas de repollo cultivadas en campo, asi como, Arnica montana 6CH y 30CH tambien incrementaron la materia seca de cabezas. Se concluyo que Sulphur6CH se destaco como promisorio para mejorar la calidad de las plantulas de repollo, asi como en la produccion y materia seca de cabezas de repollo en condiciones de campo siendo estas ultimas caracteristicas tambien mejoradas por Silicea terra30CH.

Andiroba oil (Carapa guianensis Aubl) in the capture of the fruit fly (Anastrepha fraterculus Wiedemann) in Feijoa (Acca sellowiana (Berg) Burret)

The fruit fly Anastrepha fraterculus is considered the main pest of fruit trees, including feijoa, Acca sellowiana, in the southern region of Brazil. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of Carapa guianensis on A. fraterculus. The research was carried out in a feijoa orchard in Lages, State of Santa Catarina, from December 2009 to December 2010. The experimental design was of randomized blocks with four repetitions. The treatments consisted of andiroba oil at 0.5, 1% and 2%, associated with 5% hydrolyzed protein (Bioanastrepha�), which was also used alone as control. Andiroba oil at 1% and 2% reduced the attractive potential of hydrolyzed protein; also, fewer females were captured in these two treatments.

Qualidade pós-colheita de frutos de tomateiro submetidos a preparados em altas diluições

Tomato fruits are sensitive to handling and its quality is determined by the crop system and the post-harvest conservation practices. The aim of this work was to evaluate the influence of high dilution preparations in the post-harvest attributes of tomato fruits. The research consisted of one field experiment in the 2009/2010 crop cycle and laboratory assay in post-harvest. The high dilution preparations studied under field conditions were nosodes of tomato plant and Solanum aculeatissimum at 12 and 24DH (decimal hahnemanian dilutions) and the homeopathies Arnica montana and Sulphur at 12 and 24DH. In the post-harvest treatments, Calcarea carbonica was evaluated at 6, 12, and 24CH (centesimal hahnemanian dilution) fruits being deaped into the respective treatment. The nosode of S. aculeatissimum at 12 and 24DH increased the total content of soluble solids (Brix degree) which attribute enhances the flavor and quality for industrialization. Calcarea carbonica treatment in post-harvest did not interfere on the chemical and physical attributes of tomato fruits, although Calcarea carbonica 24CH delayed the fruit softening.

Tombamento e vigor de mudas de cebola em função de diferentes profundidades e densidades de semeadura

O sistema de cultivo da cebola (Allium cepa) por transplante passa pela fase de muda, onde o desenvolvimento da planta depende de varios fatores edafoclimaticos e do manejo agronomico. Este trabalho teve o objetivo de avaliar o efeito da profundidade e da densidade de semeadura da cebola no tombamento e vigor de mudas produzidas em canteiros cobertos com po-de-serra de Pinus sp. Os experimentos foram conduzidos na Epagri - Estacao Experimental de Ituporanga, utilizando-se a cultivar Bola Precoce entre maio e julho de 1993 e, a populacao crioula, entre junho e agosto de 1993 e 1994. O delineamento experimental empregado foi blocos ao acaso, com tres repeticoes e parcelas de 3 m2. Os resultados mostraram que, na profundidade de semeadura de 2 cm, melhores mudas foram obtidas em densidades de ate 3 g/m2 de semente e, na densidade de semeadura de 3 g/m2, melhores mudas foram obtidas com profundidades de 1 e 2 cm. Profundidade de 4 cm aumentou, significativamente, o tombamento da folha cotiledonar (estadio conhecido como chicote), reduzindo a sobrevivencia de plantas. Por outro lado, mudas obtidas com semeadura a 1 cm apresentaram menor peso fresco por planta, em comparacao com mudas obtidas com semeadura em profundidades de 2 e 4 cm, sendo a diferenca significativa na populacao crioula. Densidade de semeadura acima de 3 g/m2 reduziu o peso medio e o numero de mudas aptas ao transplante. O tombamento foi maior nas maiores densidades apenas em 1994. As diferentes densidades de semeadura estudadas (2, 3 e 5 g/m2) nao afetaram emergencia, estande ou sobrevivencia de plantas.

Acca sellowiana (Myrtaceae): A New Alternative Host for Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Brazil

Summary We report, for the first time, the occurrence and development of Drosophila suzukii Matsumura (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in fruits of Acca sellowiana (Berg) Burret (Myrtaceae). Although fruits of A. sellowiana present hard and thick skin, damage caused by another insect pest, Conotrachelus psidii Marshall (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), may have enabled fruit infestation by D. suzukii.

Resistência do vimeiro, Salix spp. (Salicaceae), à pragas e doenças.

The present work aimed at evaluating the resistance reaction to pest and disease of introduced species and local clones of Salix x rubens , in different ecosystems of “Planalto Serrano Catarinense”. Three experiments were conducted in field conditions during 2003/2004 crop cycle with introduced genotypes from Argentina, Chile, Germany and France and local clones of Salix x rubens . The resistance evaluations consisted of pest incidence and severity of leaf diseases estimations. A rank of resistance reaction of willow was demonstrated as result of large genetic base. The research showed that genotypes EEL_10, EEL_08, EEL_02, EEL_13, EEL_09, and EEL_20 access were the most resistant ones against pest and diseases. Further studies would be needed to verify if these genotypes can be suitable for crafting when cultivated in the “Planalto Serrano Catarinense” conditions.