Competition between the phytophagous stink bugs Euschistus heros and Piezodorus guildinii in soybeans.

BACKGROUND: The abundance and contribution of the neotropical brown stink bug, Euschistus heros (F.), and the redbanded stink bug, Piezodorus guildinii (West.), to the composition of insect pests of soybean, Glycine max (L.), fields have changed both spatially and temporally in neotropical soybean production areas. Therefore, we assessed the competitiveness of each species in direct competition experiments following an additive series. We performed mixed (adult) insect infestations in soybean plants and evaluated the fitness of each species and the soybean yield. RESULTS: While the competitive ability of E. heros was significantly compromised by increments in conspecifics and heterospecifics (i.e. P. guildinii), the competitive ability of P. guildinii was compromised by the presence of heterospecifics (i.e. E. heros). The reproductive output of P. guildinii remained unaffected by increments in E. heros or of P. guildinii. Intriguingly, despite the fact that P. guildinii apparently lost the competition with E. heros, almost no pod production was observed in any plant colonised by the former. CONCLUSIONS: The higher abundance of E. heros in neotropical soybean fields seems to result from higher competitive ability than its heterospecific competitor P. guildinii, which may prevent the higher losses caused by P. guildinii. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Characterization of a Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate that does not liquefy the integument of infected larvae.

Here we report the characterization of a Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus isolate, named SfMNPV-6nd, that does not cause the liquefaction of the host integument. The sequencing of the chitinase A (v-chiA) gene from SfMNPV-6nd revealed that it had a frameshift mutation that greatly reduced size of the putative enzyme. In order to evaluate the suitability of SfMPNV-6nd as a biopesticide, this isolate was compared with the highly virulent SfMNPV-19. Our results showed that the LC(50) of the two isolates were not significantly different, but that SfMNPV-6nd took a longer period of time to kill second instar S. frugiperda than SfMNPV-19.

Seletividade de defensivos agrícolas ao fungo entomopatogênico Beauveria bassiana / Selectivity of insecticides and fungicides to the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana

A toxicidade relativa dos inseticidas organofosforados clorpirifós-metílico, dissulfotom, etiom, paratiom-metílico, do organoclorado endosulfam, da mistura do fungicida triadimenol e do inseticida dissulfotom e dos fungicidas inibidores da demetilação de esteróis triadimenol e tebuconazole ao fungo Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin foi estudada em laboratório. As concentrações dos pesticidas que inibiram 99 por cento do crescimento micelial desse fungo, em miligramas de ingrediente ativo por ml foram: tebuconazole = 0,42; paration-metílico = 1,69; triadimenol = 6,53; triadimenol + dissulfotom = 14,42; clorpirifós-metílico = 31,75; etiom = 7.028,96; endosulfam = 10.326,76 e dissulfotom = 763.959,86. As equações de regressão da inibição do crescimento micelial ( por cento), em função da concentração obtida por ensaio in vitro em meio batata-destrose-ágar (BDA) impregnado com os ingredientes ativos desses compostos, foram usadas para se estimar a seletividade das concentrações prescritas para cafezais, pelos seus respectivos fabricantes. Tebuconazole, paratiom-metílico e clorpirifós-metílico foram altamente tóxicos ao fungo B. bassiana; endosulfam e triadimenol + dissulfotom apresentaram seletividade moderada e triadimenol, etiom e dissulfotom foram seletivos para esse fungo.

The relative toxicity of the insecticides organophosphates methyl-chlorpyrifos, disulfoton, ethion, methyl-parathion, the organochlorinate endosulfan and the mixture of the fungicide triadimenol and the insecticide disulfoton and the sterol demethylation inhibiter fungicide (triadimenol and tebuconazole) to the fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin was evaluated. Concentrations which inhibited radial mycelium growth (99 percent) of B. bassiana were 0.42; 1.69; 6.53; 14.42; 31.75; 7,028.96; 10,326.76 e 763,959.86 mg i.a/ml of tebuconazole, methyl-parathion, triadimenol, triadimenol + disulfoton, methyl-chlorpyrifos, ethion, endosulfan and disulfoton, respectively. The effects of these products were evaluated based on percentage of inhibition of radial mycelium growth of B. bassiana on potato dextrose-agar impregnated with them, after seven days. Tebuconazole, methyl-parathion and methyl-chlorpyrifos were highly toxic to B. bassiana; endosulfan and triadimenol + disulfoton were moderated toxic; while triadimenol, ethion, and disulfoton were selective to this fungi.

Desenvolvimento e Reprodução do Predador Podisus distinctus (Stal) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) Frente a Doses Subletais de Permetrina / Development and Reproduction of the Predator Podisus distinctus (Stal) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) Exposed to Sublethal Doses of Permethrin

Development and reproduction were studied in the predator Podisus distinctus (Stal) subjected to sublethal doses of the insecticide permethrin under laboratory conditions. Third instar nymphs were subjected to topical application of permethrin at the doses of 0, 0.0172, 0.172, 1.72, 17.2 e 172 ppb. The only parameter statisticaly different was egg viability. This parameter had the gratest increase at the dose 0.172 ppb provinding evidence for the phenomenon of hormesis.

Desenvolvimento e reprodução foram estudados no predador Podisus distinctus (Stal) submetido a doses subletais do inseticida permetrina em condições de laboratório. Ninfas de 3° instar foram submetidas a aplicação tópica de permetrina nas doses de 0; 0,0172; 0,172; 1,72; 17,2 e 172 ppb. O único parâmetro significativamente afetado foi a viabilidade de ovos. Esse parâmetro teve um máximo de estímulo na dose 0,172 ppb provendo evidência do fenômeno de hormese.