Economic survey to support control decision for old world bollworm on processing tomatoes

Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) regularly requires quick deployment of control practices due to its potential of causing yield loss of processing tomatoes. The monitoring of H. armigera adults using stick traps lured with sex pheromone was correlated to egg densities, larvae, and percentage of damaged fruits, aiming to subsidize control decisions only using the number of males caught in the traps since surveying pest stages or damaged fruits is laborious and costly. Surveys were carried out on 11 tomato fields (ca. 80 to 120 hectares each) for processing during the 2015 and 2016 crop seasons. The survey was initiated at the flowering stage with traps set up along the field borders 100 m distant each. Evaluations of adult male capture in the traps were conducted twice a week for 14 and 10 weeks during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, respectively. Simultaneously, 70 tomato plants were fully inspected for eggs, larvae, and damaged fruits per area using a rate of 10 plants per point of trap setting in each area. Overall capture of male moths correlated to subsequent eggs, larvae, and damaged fruits. Based on the outcome of the regression analysis between male moths captured and percentage of damaged fruits, the control decision is suggested when three to six male moths are captured per trap during one week. The monitoring of adults using pheromone traps help deploy chemical or biological control methods to restrain H. armigera population reaching economic threshold levels.

Economic survey to support control decision for old world bollworm on processing tomatoes

Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) regularly requires quick deployment of control practices due to its potential of causing yield loss of processing tomatoes. The monitoring of H. armigera adults using stick traps lured with sex pheromone was correlated to egg densities, larvae, and percentage of damaged fruits, aiming to subsidize control decisions only using the number of males caught in the traps since surveying pest stages or damaged fruits is laborious and costly. Surveys were carried out on 11 tomato fields (ca. 80 to 120 hectares each) for processing during the 2015 and 2016 crop seasons. The survey was initiated at the flowering stage with traps set up along the field borders 100 m distant each. Evaluations of adult male capture in the traps were conducted twice a week for 14 and 10 weeks during the 2015 and 2016 seasons, respectively. Simultaneously, 70 tomato plants were fully inspected for eggs, larvae, and damaged fruits per area using a rate of 10 plants per point of trap setting in each area. Overall capture of male moths correlated to subsequent eggs, larvae, and damaged fruits. Based on the outcome of the regression analysis between male moths captured and percentage of damaged fruits, the control decision is suggested when three to six male moths are captured per trap during one week. The monitoring of adults using pheromone traps help deploy chemical or biological control methods to restrain H. armigera population reaching economic threshold levels.(AU)

Resistance of Brazilian diamondback moth populations to insecticides

Plutella xylostella is a recurring pest on cruciferous crops around the world. In Brazil, it typically requires large number of insecticide sprays, which may lead to fast evolution of resistance. The aim of this study was to assess the susceptibility of Brazilian diamondback moth populations to the insecticides abamectin, deltamethrin, and spinosad. Leaf dip bioassays were used to determine mortality data obtained after 48 h of exposure to insecticides and subjected to Probit analysis. The population from Bonito, state of Pernambuco, Brazil, had the highest toxicity ratio (20.2 - fold) to abamectin compared to the reference population. The LC50 values for deltamethrin ranged from 85.2 to 360.1 mg L-1, demonstrating a high survival of populations in relation to this insecticide field dose rate (7.5 mg L-1). The toxicity ratios of the estimated LC50s, however, were very low (varying from 2.2 - to 4.2 - fold). Most populations exhibited toxicity ratios for spinosad, ranging from 2.3 - to 5.1 - fold, while both the LC50 and LC95 values reflected a high susceptibility to the spinosad field dosage (120 mg L-1). Only the Bonito - PE population resisted to abamectin, while all P. xylostella populations were resistant to deltamethrin, but particularly susceptible to spinosad because of the absence of selection pressure with it in these areas.

Plutella xylostella é uma praga recorrente em brássicas de todo o mundo. No Brasil, normalmente exige grande número de pulverizações de inseticidas, que pode levar à rápida evolução da resistência. Avaliou-se a suscetibilidade de populações brasileiras da traça das crucíferas aos inseticidas abamectina, deltametrina e espinosade. Bioensaios de imersão de folhas foram utilizados para determinar a mortalidade, sendo os dados obtidos após 48 h de exposição aos inseticidas e submetidos à análise de Probit. A população de Bonito-PE apresentou a maior razão de toxicidade (20,2 vezes) para abamectina em relação à população de referência. Os valores de CL50s para deltametrina variaram entre 85,2 - 360,1 mg L-1, demonstrando alta sobrevivência das populações a este inseticida com relação à dose de campo (7,5 mg L-1). Entretanto, as razões de toxicidade das CL50 estimadas foram muito baixas (variando de 2,2 a 4,2 vezes). A maioria das populações apresentou razões de toxicidade para espinosade, variando de 2,3 para 5,1 vezes, embora os valores de CL demonstram alta suscetibilidade delas à dose de campo para espinosade (120 mg L-1). Apenas a população de Bonito PE apresentou resistência a abamectina, enquanto todas as populações de P. xylostella estão resistentes a deltametrina, mas suscetíveis ao espinosade particularmente devido à ausência de pressão de seleção com este nestas áreas.

Resistance of Brazilian diamondback moth populations to insecticides

Plutella xylostella is a recurring pest on cruciferous crops around the world. In Brazil, it typically requires large number of insecticide sprays, which may lead to fast evolution of resistance. The aim of this study was to assess the susceptibility of Brazilian diamondback moth populations to the insecticides abamectin, deltamethrin, and spinosad. Leaf dip bioassays were used to determine mortality data obtained after 48 h of exposure to insecticides and subjected to Probit analysis. The population from Bonito, state of Pernambuco, Brazil, had the highest toxicity ratio (20.2 - fold) to abamectin compared to the reference population. The LC50 values for deltamethrin ranged from 85.2 to 360.1 mg L-1, demonstrating a high survival of populations in relation to this insecticide field dose rate (7.5 mg L-1). The toxicity ratios of the estimated LC50s, however, were very low (varying from 2.2 - to 4.2 - fold). Most populations exhibited toxicity ratios for spinosad, ranging from 2.3 - to 5.1 - fold, while both the LC50 and LC95 values reflected a high susceptibility to the spinosad field dosage (120 mg L-1). Only the Bonito - PE population resisted to abamectin, while all P. xylostella populations were resistant to deltamethrin, but particularly susceptible to spinosad because of the absence of selection pressure with it in these areas.

Plutella xylostella é uma praga recorrente em brássicas de todo o mundo. No Brasil, normalmente exige grande número de pulverizações de inseticidas, que pode levar à rápida evolução da resistência. Avaliou-se a suscetibilidade de populações brasileiras da traça das crucíferas aos inseticidas abamectina, deltametrina e espinosade. Bioensaios de imersão de folhas foram utilizados para determinar a mortalidade, sendo os dados obtidos após 48 h de exposição aos inseticidas e submetidos à análise de Probit. A população de Bonito-PE apresentou a maior razão de toxicidade (20,2 vezes) para abamectina em relação à população de referência. Os valores de CL50s para deltametrina variaram entre 85,2 - 360,1 mg L-1, demonstrando alta sobrevivência das populações a este inseticida com relação à dose de campo (7,5 mg L-1). Entretanto, as razões de toxicidade das CL50 estimadas foram muito baixas (variando de 2,2 a 4,2 vezes). A maioria das populações apresentou razões de toxicidade para espinosade, variando de 2,3 para 5,1 vezes, embora os valores de CL demonstram alta suscetibilidade delas à dose de campo para espinosade (120 mg L-1). Apenas a população de Bonito PE apresentou resistência a abamectina, enquanto todas as populações de P. xylostella estão resistentes a deltametrina, mas suscetíveis ao espinosade particularmente devido à ausência de pressão de seleção com este nestas áreas.

Number of larval instars in Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) / Determinação do número de ínstares larvais em Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae)

The present work was carried out to verify indirectly the number of larvae instars in Plutella xylostella. In the Insects Biology Laboratory of Universidade Federal de Viçosa, (temperature 24.5±4ºC; 12 hours photophase and 70±5% RU), larvae were fed in Petri dishes with fresh leaves of cabbage. Daily, they were picked up, boiled and conserved in 70% alcohol. Ninety six (96) cephalic capsules were measured through a magnifying glass estereoscopy. Both number of instars and respective growth rate were evaluated. To reject the hypothesis, the confidance limits for averages of the widths between successive cephalic capsules when overlapping; the lowest value of the linear regression coefficient determination (R2), and disagreement to estimated value of the growth ratio (K) in relation to K variance proposed by Dyar were assumed. Larvae of P. xylostella were grouped and instars were described considering that the cephalic capsules widths in average would be in the intervals (p 0.05) 0.15-0.162; 0.227-0.259; 0.361-0.395 and 0.462-0.514 mm for the instars I, II, III and IV respectively. The multimodal distribution curve of cephalic capsules widths allowed to estabilish the existence of four instars (K=1.4; R2 = 0.87). The value distribution of the cephalic capsule width followed Dyars rule.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo determinar indiretamente o número de ínstares larvais em Plutella xylostella. No Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos da Universidade Federal de Viçosa, à temperatura de 24,5±4ºC, fotofase de 12 horas e UR de 70±5%, lagartas foram alimentadas em placas de Petri com folhas frescas de repolho. Diariamente uma quantidade variável de lagartas foi recolhida, fervida e conservada em álcool a 70%. As cápsulas cefálicas de noventa e seis (96) lagartas foram medidas sob lupa estereoscópica. A quantidade de ínstares e respectiva razão de crescimento foram determinadas pela análise de hipóteses. Na regra de decisão para a seleção da hipótese mais adequada, consideraram-se como pontos de rejeição da hipótese: i) a sobreposição dos intervalos de confiança para médias da largura de cápsula cefálica entre ínstares sucessivos; ii) o menor valor do coeficiente de determinação da regressão linear (R2); e iii) a discordância do valor estimado da razão de crescimento (K) em relação ao intervalo de variação de K proposto por Dyar. Lagartas de P. xylostella foram agrupadas e os ínstares descritos considerando-se que as larguras de cápsula cefálica, em média, estariam nos intervalos (p 0,05) 0,15-0,162; 0,227-0,259; 0,361-0,395 e 0,462-0,514 mm para o I, II, III e IV ínstares, respectivamente. A curva de distribuição multimodal de larguras de cápsulas cefálic

Number of larval instars in Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae) / Determinação do número de ínstares larvais em Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Yponomeutidae)

The present work was carried out to verify indirectly the number of larvae instars in Plutella xylostella. In the Insects Biology Laboratory of Universidade Federal de Viçosa, (temperature 24.5±4ºC; 12 hours photophase and 70±5% RU), larvae were fed in Petri dishes with fresh leaves of cabbage. Daily, they were picked up, boiled and conserved in 70% alcohol. Ninety six (96) cephalic capsules were measured through a magnifying glass estereoscopy. Both number of instars and respective growth rate were evaluated. To reject the hypothesis, the confidance limits for averages of the widths between successive cephalic capsules when overlapping; the lowest value of the linear regression coefficient determination (R2), and disagreement to estimated value of the growth ratio (K) in relation to K variance proposed by Dyar were assumed. Larvae of P. xylostella were grouped and instars were described considering that the cephalic capsules widths in average would be in the intervals (p 0.05) 0.15-0.162; 0.227-0.259; 0.361-0.395 and 0.462-0.514 mm for the instars I, II, III and IV respectively. The multimodal distribution curve of cephalic capsules widths allowed to estabilish the existence of four instars (K=1.4; R2 = 0.87). The value distribution of the cephalic capsule width followed Dyars rule.

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo determinar indiretamente o número de ínstares larvais em Plutella xylostella. No Laboratório de Biologia de Insetos da Universidade Federal de Viçosa, à temperatura de 24,5±4ºC, fotofase de 12 horas e UR de 70±5%, lagartas foram alimentadas em placas de Petri com folhas frescas de repolho. Diariamente uma quantidade variável de lagartas foi recolhida, fervida e conservada em álcool a 70%. As cápsulas cefálicas de noventa e seis (96) lagartas foram medidas sob lupa estereoscópica. A quantidade de ínstares e respectiva razão de crescimento foram determinadas pela análise de hipóteses. Na regra de decisão para a seleção da hipótese mais adequada, consideraram-se como pontos de rejeição da hipótese: i) a sobreposição dos intervalos de confiança para médias da largura de cápsula cefálica entre ínstares sucessivos; ii) o menor valor do coeficiente de determinação da regressão linear (R2); e iii) a discordância do valor estimado da razão de crescimento (K) em relação ao intervalo de variação de K proposto por Dyar. Lagartas de P. xylostella foram agrupadas e os ínstares descritos considerando-se que as larguras de cápsula cefálica, em média, estariam nos intervalos (p 0,05) 0,15-0,162; 0,227-0,259; 0,361-0,395 e 0,462-0,514 mm para o I, II, III e IV ínstares, respectivamente. A curva de distribuição multimodal de larguras de cápsulas cefálic