Bioactivity of vegetable powders on biological parameters of Callosobruchus maculatus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae) in Vigna unguiculata

Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. is widely distributed in the world, being one of the most important crops in the Brazilian semiarid. Grains, however, are commonly damaged by the larvae of Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabr.), causing quantitative and qualitative losses. Thus, the study aimed to determine the potential reduction of eggs, adult emergence and population growth of this pest. The vegetable powders used were: Eucalyptus urophylla S T Blake × tereticornis Smith; E. brassiana S T Blake; E. urophylla × E. tereticornis × E. pellita; and of Azadirachta indica A. Juss; Schinnus terebinthifolius Raddi and Rosmarinus officinalis L. All of the powders reduced C. maculatus oviposition, adult emergence and the population growth when compared to control at all the concentrations used. The most effective powders were the hybrid of E. brassiana (clone 25), E. urophylla × E. tereticornis (clone 101), S. terebinthifolius and A. indica

Toxicity, residual effect and repellency of synthetic acaricides and natural products on Tetranychus urticae Koch e Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks) in cotton

O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar os efeitos letais e subletais, repelência, toxicidade e efeito residual de acaricidas sintéticos e produtos naturais sobre Tetranychus urticae Kock (Acari: Tetranychidae) e Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks) (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Os acaricidas fenpropatrina, clorfenapir, diafentiurom, abamectina e espiromesifeno e os óleos emulsionáveis de nim, Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Meliaceae) (Azadiractina 1% e Azadiractina A/B), Jatropha curcas L. (Euphorbiaceae) e Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiaceae) foram estudados. De acordo com as CLs50 e CLs90, espiromesifeno foi o mais tóxico para fêmeas, e J. curcas para ovos de T. urticae. Os acaricidas que causaram maior efeito adverso para P. macropilis, foram espiromesifeno, J. curcas e Azadiractina 1%. Espiromesifeno foi o único acaricida nocivo para P. macropilis. Quando testados em concentrações subletais, J. curcas foi o único capaz de extinguir a população de T. urticae. Espiromesifeno, R. communis e Azadiractina A/B afetaram, negativamente, o crescimento populacional da praga. A população de P. macropilis, quando exposta a espiromesifeno, J. curcas e Azadiractina 1%, tendeu à extinção. Porém, quando exposta a R. communis e Azadiractina A/B continuou crescendo. Todos os acaricidas, com exceção de R. communis, repeliram fêmeas e postura de T. urticae. Para o predador, R. communis, J. curcas e Azadiractina 1% também repeliram fêmeas e postura. Espiromesifeno e Azadiractina A/B repeliram apenas postura. Em relação à eficiência residual, fenpropatrina, clorfenapir, diafetiurom e abamectina, causaram mortalidade de fêmeas adultas de T. urticae superior a 98% até a quarta avaliação. Fepropatrina, diafentiurom, abamectina e espiromesifeno foram os que mais reduziram a fecundidade. Os produtos naturais foram eficientes para adultos, apenas na primeira avaliação, enquanto a redução de postura variou. Todos os acaricidas testados foram eficientes no controle de T. urticae, entretanto, Azadiractina A/B foi o mais promissor para o seu manejo no agroecossistema algodoeiro, pois, foi o menos nocivo para o predador.This work studied the lethal and sublethal effects, repellency, toxicity and residual effects of natural and synthetic acaricides on the two spotted mite, Tetranychus urticae Kock (Acari: Tetranychidae), and its predator, Phytoseiulus macropilis (Acari: Phytoseiidae). The synthetic acaricides fenpropathrin, chlorfenapyr, diafenthiuron, abamectin and spiromesifen and the botanicals oils of neem, Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Meliaceae), Azadirachtin 1% and Azadirachtin A/B, Jatropha curcas L. (Euphobiacea) and Ricinus communis L. (Euphorbiacea) were tested. Based on LC50s e LC90s, spiromesifen was the most toxic to female mites and J. curcas to T. urticae eggs. To P. macropilis, the acaricides that caused more adverse effects were spiromesifen, J. curcas and Azadirachtin 1%. Oil of J. curcas used at sublethal concentrations was the only able to extinguish the population of T. urticae. Spiromesifen, R. communis and Azadirachtin A/B affected negatively the growth population of the two spotted spider mite. Population of P. macropilis exposed to spiromesifen, oil of J. curcas, and Azadirachtin 1% trended to extinction. However, when exposed to oil of R. communis and Azadiracthin A/B continued to grow. All acaricides tested, except oil of R. communis, were repellent to T. urticae females and affected oviposition of T. urticae. The treatment with oil of R. communis, J. curcas, and Azadiracthin 1% were repellent to the predatory female mites and affected its oviposition. The residual effect of fenpropathrin, chlorfenapyr, diafenthiuron, and abamectin caused mortality to T. urticae female over 90% up to the fourth evaluation. Fenpropathrin, diafenthiuron, abamectin, and spiromesifen caused reduction on female fecundity. The natural products tested were efficacious to two spotted spider mite adults only during the first evaluation. All tested acaricides exhibited efficacious control of T. urticae, but among the tested products the Azadiracthin A/B produced promising results to mite control in cotton ecosystem and was less harmful to the predatory mite.Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPE

Interaction between the cotton bollgardtm, the twospoted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae) and its predatory mite Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks) (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Plantas de algodoeiro têm sido geneticamente transformadas com genes da bactéria Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) os quais conferem resistência a certas espécies de lepidópteros-praga. O algodoeiro Bt BollgardTM possui genes que expressam a toxina Cry1Ac. Com esta nova variável interagindo nos agroecossistemas, algumas questões foram levantadas sobre a ação de toxinas Cry em artrópodos não-alvo, motivando o desenvolvimento de pesquisas para gerar os esclarecimentos necessários. O ácaro rajado, Tetranychus urticae Koch, adquire da planta e mantêm em seu corpo concentrações elevadas de toxinas Cry (Cry1Ab do milho Bt e Cry1Ac do algodoeiro Bt). Este resultado leva ao questionamento sobre os possíveis efeitos da toxina sobre este ácaro fitófago e aos seus predadores. Assim, este trabalho investigou a biologia e comportamento de T. urticae e do seu predador, Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks) em algodoeiro Bt e não-Bt. Os resultados, obtidos durante três gerações consecutivas, mostram que o algodoeiro Bt não afetou negativamente o tempo de desenvolvimento, a viabilidade das formas imaturas e a reprodução dos dois ácaros. Também, a preferência para a colonização e postura de T. urticae e de P. macropilis foram similares entre os algodoeiros Bt e não-Bt. Além disso, não houve alteração na preferência de P. macropilis, quando predando de T. urticae criado em algodoeiro Bt e não-Bt. O ácaro rajado adquiriu e concentrou em seu corpo aproximadamente 3,97 vezes a quantidade de Cry1Ac expressada na planta de algodoeiro.Cotton plants have been genetically transoformed with genes from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) which confers the plant resistance against certain lepidopoteran pest species. The Bt-cotton carries genes that express the toxin Cry1Ac. This creates new interactions in the agroecossystems encouraging researches to answer the questions about the potential impact on nontarget organisms. In the cotton ecosystem, the two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, acquires and mantain in its body high concentrations of Cry toxins (Cry1Ab from Bt-corn and Cry1Ac from Bt-cotton). This finding leads to the question about the potential long term impact on the phytophagous minte, a nontarget, and their predators. Thus, this work investigated the biology and behavior of T. urticae and its predatory mite, Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks) on Bt-cotton. The results obtained during three successive generations showed that the Bt-cotton does not affect negatively its development, viability of immature stages and reproductive output. Furthermore, the preference for feeding and oviposition of T. urticae and its predator, P. macropilis, were similar on both cotton types. In addition, P. macropilis exhibited similarpredatory behavior on T. urticae fed on both cotton types. Despite of similar results, T. urticae acquired about 3.97 times more Cry1Ac than that expressed in the Bt-cotton plants.Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNP

Toxicity of spiromesifen and natural acaricides to Tetranychus urticae koch and compatibility with Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks)

The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), is one important pest of cotton crop due to reductions in cotton yield and fiber quality. Thus, this work evaluated the toxicity of the synthetic acaricide spiromesifen and natural products on T. urticae and the compatibility with the predatory mite Phytoseiulus macropilis (Banks) (Acari: Phytoseiidae). Spiromesifen and the natural products Azadirachtin A/B, Azadirachtin 1%, Jatropha curcas L. and Ricinus communis L. oils were used at different concentrations; the leaf dipping method was employed. The mortality of T. urticae females and eggs was evaluated 48 and 96 h after treatment to calculate the lethal concentrations. The effect on P. macropilis was studied using the LC50s obtained to T. urticae. All acaricides tested were effective in controlling females and eggs of T. urticae. However, according to the LC50s and LC90s calculated, spiromesifen was the most toxic acaricide to females and J. curcas oil presented the higher toxicity to eggs. Spiromesifen, J. curcas oil and Azadiractina 1% caused side effects on P. macropilis. However, only espiromesifeno was classified as harmful to the predator, whereas Azadirachtin A/B and R. communis oil were slightly harmful. R. communis and Azadirachtin A/B were effective in controlling the two-spotted spider mite and promising for the management of this pest in cotton considering their low toxicity to the predator

Registro de Pachymerus nucleorum (Fabricius) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae) Predando Sementes de Licuri em Caetés, Pernambuco, Brasil

The aim of the present study was to observe seed predation by larvae of Pachymerus nucleorum (Fabricius) on seeds of Syagrus coronata (Martius) (Arecaceae) in Caetés, Pernambuco, northeastern Brazil. Fruits of 10 adult plants of S. coronata were collected in the surroundings of the experimental biodiesel plant of Caetés. The projection of the crown within 1.5 m from the stipe was devided into four quadrants, one of which was randomly selected for sampling. In the first analysis of the larvae presence or their holes of emergence, the infestation level reached 80% of the analyzed fruits. In an another situation, apparently uninfested fruits (without superficial damage) were daily observed for 60 days, occurring 18% of larvae emergence within 41 days, with the peak of predation between the tenth and the eighteenth day, period in which 48% of total predation was observed.O objetivo deste trabalho foi registrar a predação de sementes de Syagrus coronata (Martius) (Arecaceae) por larvas de Pachymerus nucleorum (Fabricius), no município de Caetés, Pernambuco nordeste do Brasil. Os frutos foram coletadas de 10 plantas adultas de Syagrus coronata (Arecaceae) no entorno da usina experimental de biodiesel de Caetés-PE, após a definição de um raio de 1,5 m ao redor da copa, esta foi dividida em quatro quadrantes, e através de sorteio, foi colocado um coletor no quadrante vencedor a 1m da estipe. Na análise os frutos com orifício de saída e/ou pela presença da larva no processo de liberação da amêndoa, o nível de infestação alcançou 80% dos frutos analisados. Em outra situação amêndoas aparentemente sadias, ou seja, sem danos superficiais foram observadas diariamente por 60 dias as quais, ocorreram 18% de emergência de larvas até os 41dias, atingindo o pico da predação entre o décimo e o décimo oitavo dia, com 48% de toda predação

Toxicity and repellency of essential oils to Zabrotes subfasciatus (Boheman) (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae) in Phaseolus vulgaris L

The effects of tangerine (Phaseolus vulgaris Blanco), lemon (Citrus medica limonum Lush), pear orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck), red copaiba (Copaifera langsdorffii Desf.), rosemary (Baccharis dracunculifolia De Candole), Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus Labillardière and E. citriodora Hook), lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus Stapf.) and citronella (Cimbopogon nardus Linnaeus) oils at several concentrations on Zabrotes subfasciatus (Boheman) were studied. In toxicity tests, grains of Phaseolus vulgaris L. cv. Rajadinho were impregnated with oils and infested with adults of Z. subfasciatus up to 24 hours old. All tested oils were effective in reducing the viable egg-laying and adult emergence of this pest, in function of the concentrations used, highlighting E. citriodora and E. globulus oils which caused 100% effectiveness from 0.5 mL Kg-1 concentration. In repellency tests, two arenas consisting of plastic containers, connected symmetrically to a central box by two plastic tubes were used. In one of the boxes, untreated beans were placed and on the other ones beans treated with each oil concentration were used. In the central box, five couples of Z. subfasciatus were released. Grains of P. vulgaris treated with oils of E. citriodora, C. citratus and C. oleifera reduced the attraction percentage of Z. subfasciatus adults, while the E. globulus increased this percentage. The percentages of reduced viable eggs ranged from 17.9% (C. medica limonum) to 93.3% (C. nardus), while the reduction on the number of emerged insects was 23.9% and 95.9%, respectively for these same oils

Characterisation of microbial attack on archaeological bone

As part of an EU funded project to investigate the factors influencing bone preservation in the archaeological record, more than 250 bones from 41 archaeological sites in five countries spanning four climatic regions were studied for diagenetic alteration. Sites were selected to cover a range of environmental conditions and archaeological contexts. Microscopic and physical (mercury intrusion porosimetry) analyses of these bones revealed that the majority (68%) had suffered microbial attack. Furthermore, significant differences were found between animal and human bone in both the state of preservation and the type of microbial attack present. These differences in preservation might result from differences in early taphonomy of the bones. © 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved