Helicoverpa armigera and Helicoverpa zea hybridization: constraints, heterosis, and implications for pest management.

BACKGROUND: The invasion of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) into the New World has made it possible for this pest to hybridize with a native American species, H. zea (Boddie), under natural conditions. We investigated the viability and development of hybrids of these two Helicoverpa species. We reared the parental species and evaluated crosses between H. armigera males and H. zea females and vice versa, two intercrosses between hybrids, and eight backcrosses between hybrids and parental species. We estimated the length of immature stages, fecundity, survival, sex ratio, and heterosis. RESULTS: Although hybridization occcurred, with heterosis during the development of immatures, reproductive incompatibilities also were observed between the parental species and between hybrids from subsequent crosses. The interspecific crosses between hybrids and backcrosses confirmed the possibility of introgression events and their perpetuation in field populations. The results indicate that hybridization events are favored at high population levels, while at low population levels the 'species identities' will be maintained. CONCLUSIONS: The possibility of interspecific gene flow and its perpetuation through successive crosses and backcrosses suggests several recommenations for management. Populations of both species should be maintained at an equilibrium level to reduce the chance of interspecific crosses, which are presumably more likely to occur during pest outbreaks. The existence of hybridization and resistance to different active pesticide ingredients should be monitored. All practices related to managing the resistance of these pests to chemical and biological insecticides should be systematized to reduce the chance of selecting for resistant individuals.

Shade Modifies Behavioral and Physiological Responses of Low to Medium Production Dairy Cows at Pasture in an Integrated Crop-Livestock-Forest System.

Under conditions of high temperature, humidity, and incidence of solar radiation, dairy cows use behavioral changes as a strategy to decrease the metabolic heat production at pasture. The objective of this study was to evaluate the behavioral and physiological responses of Gyr and Girolando (5/8 Holstein 3/8 Gyr, and ½ Holstein ½ Gyr) dairy cows submitted to environments with and without shade. The experiment was conducted at Embrapa Cerrados (Technology Center for Dairy Zebu breeds-CTZL), Brasilia, Distrito Federal-Brazil, with 48 Gyr and Girolando cows total in the lactation group, with low to medium milk production, in full sun or shade with Eucalyptus urograndis (267 plants/ha-1). The physiological and behavioral characteristics evaluated were panting score, superficial temperature, and time spent grazing, ruminating, and lying down. Other traits included skin and coat thickness, hair diameter, density and length, and predominant coat color. In addition, body measurements, such as body length, the height of withers, chest circumference, and shin circumference, were measured. Shaded cows had 34% longer rumination times than cows in full sun (p = 0.01). With a temperature-humidity index ranging from 79 to 83, the rumination time was 1.7 times higher in cows under shade (p = 0.01) during a 24-h period of observation. There were no significant differences in the grazing time between the environments, but lying time was 23% longer in cows under the sun (p = 0.01). The panting score was not influenced by the environment (p = 0.17). Girolando cows had a 35% higher panting score than Gyr cows (p = 0.01) regardless of the environment. The panting score increased two and a half times during the afternoon compared with the morning (p = 0.01). The surface and rectal core temperatures had significant differences between treatments and time of the day. Body measurements were not different between cows in both environments, but there was a difference between breeds. The use of trees in pastures with a silvopastoral system for dairy zebu cows is indicated to improve grazing behavior, as well as time spent ruminating and lying down.

Role of nutritional composition in the development and survival of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on artificial diet and natural hosts.

Helicoverpa armigera is a pest of several crops causing significant economic impact. We evaluated the insect development on different vegetative and reproductive structures of cotton, maize, and soybean compared to artificial diet. One hundred individuals were evaluated per structure (cotton leaves and bolls; maize leaves, grains, and silk; soybean leaves and pods) and artificial diet. Centesimal analyses were performed on quantifiable nutrient contents in diets. The viability of immatures (eggs, larvae, and pupae) ranged from 30% on maize leaf to 74% on cotton bolls, while on the artificial diet, it was 70%. Maize, cotton, and soybean leaves provided viability of 30, 37, and 42%, respectively, revealing these leaves tissues are less favorable to the development of H. armigera immatures compared to 'reproductive tissues'. Centesimal composition of diets compared 14 common components in all diets, which correlated significantly with larval and pupal stages and/or pupal weight. Of the 12 dietary components that significantly affected larval development time, half were negatively correlated, indicating a decrease in developmental time from their increments. In general, when insects were confined separately to substrates, the artificial diet was the most suitable for H. armigera development compared to the evaluated natural diets. However, in natural conditions, the variability of available hosts must be considered. In addition, it is acceptable for moths to select more suitable hosts for oviposition, while their larvae move to other more suitable tissues of the same plant or even migrate to other plants.

Spatio-temporal variation of Mocis latipes (Guenée, 1852) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) populations in Brazil according to meteorological factors / Variações espaço-temporais das popupações de Mocis latipes (Guenée, 1852) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) no Brasil de acordo com fatores meteorológicos

Abstract: Mocis latipes (Guenée, 1852) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) has been recognized as a major owlet caterpillar associated to the herbivory of gramineaceous plants across the American continent. During outbreaks, the caterpillars are capable of completely consuming preferred hosts (grasses) and, when these hosts are destroyed, they can move to adjacent non-grass plants and cause similar damage. Meteorological variable such as temperature and humidity are described as factors that affect the development and abundance of M. latipes. This paper aimed to describe and compare the spatial and temporal distribution of M. latipes in different locations in Brazil and to evaluate the influence of meteorological variables on the temporal range. A total of 12 locations were evaluated, in each collection point light traps were installed near cultivated areas. In order to understand the influence of meteorological variables on the abundance of M. latipes, the data were analyzed using a Generalized Linear Model according to Poisson regression. A linear regression was also used to verify the relation between the abundance and the latitude. A total of 1,985 moths were collected. The highest collections were in Amazon and Cerrado biomes. Results show that abundance was inversely related to increasing latitude and Poisson regression analysis indicated that the main meteorological variables were significantly related to abundance at each site. This study shows that due to the high preference for gramineas and the high temperature requirements (30°C), M. latipes is an important species in hot regions and regions with hight humidity. Furthurmore, even in higher latitudes, in subtropical areas, during summer months, populations can Rapidly growth being able to cause economic damages.

Resumo: Mocis latipes (Guenée, 1852) (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) tem sido reconhecida como uma das principais espécies consumidoras de gramíneas em todo o continente americano. Durante os surtos, as lagartas são capazes de consumir completamente os hospedeiros preferenciais (gramíneas) e, quando os hospedeiros preferenciais são destruídos, podem mover-se para plantas adjacentes não gramíneas e causar danos semelhantes. Variáveis meteorológicas, como temperatura e umidade, são conhecidas por afetar o desenvolvimento e a abundância de suas populações. Este trabalho teve como objetivo descrever e comparar a distribuição espaço-temporal de M. latipes em diferentes localidades do Brasil e avaliar a influência de variáveis meteorológicas sobre suas variações temporais. Foram avaliados 12 locais, em cada ponto de coleta foram instaladas armadilhas luminosas próximas às áreas de cultivo. Para entender a influência das variáveis meteorológicas na abundância de M. latipes, os dados foram analisados pelo Modelo Linear Generalizado, empregando a regressão de Poisson. Uma regressão linear também foi utilizada para verificar a relação entre a abundância e a latitude. Um total de 1.985 mariposas foram coletadas. Os maiores números de indivíduos foram coletados nos biomas Amazônia e Cerrado. Os resultados mostram que a abundância de mariposas está inversamente relacionada ao aumento da latitude. A análise de regressão de Poisson indicou que as principais variáveis meteorológicas foram significativamente relacionadas à abundância em cada local. Este estudo mostra que devido à preferência por gramíneas em estado vegetativo e às altas exigências de temperatura (30°C), M. latipes é uma espécie importante em regiões quentes, especialmente nas épocas de maior umidade. Além disso, mesmo em latitudes elevadas, durante os meses de verão, as populações podem aumentar rapidamente, podendo causar danos econômicos.

The Granulate Cutworm (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae): Biological Parameters Under Controlled Conditions, Host Plants, and Distribution in the Americas.

Feltia subterranea (Fabricius), commonly known as the granulate cutworm, is a common species of owlet moths (Noctuidae) of major agricultural importance, widely distributed in Nearctic and Neotropical regions. This study was conducted to determine the species biological parameters, gather information about its larval host plants, and assess the agricultural significance of this species in the Americas. The viability of the egg, larval, pupal stages, and prepupal period was 98, 98, and 100%, respectively, under laboratory conditions. The average duration of the egg, larval, pupal stages, and prepupal period was 3, 17, 4, and 13 d, respectively. All laboratory-reared larvae developed through five instars. The growth ratio was 1.93 for females and 1.85 for males. The duration of the larval stage was significantly longer in females than in males from the fourth instar. The duration of the pupal stage was significantly shorter in females than in males. When larval and pupal stage durations were combined, there were no significant differences in total development time as a function of sex. In total, 159 botanical taxa belonging to 41 families were recorded as host species for F. subterranea. The families with the greatest number of host species were Fabaceae (22), Poaceae (19), Asteraceae (16), Brassicaceae (13), Solanaceae (12), Amaranthaceae (7), Cucurbitaceae (7), and Malvaceae (5). It is noteworthy that the large number of native weeds used by F. subterranea as host plants could represent a significant source of infestation of crops in the agricultural landscape.

Proposal of an irrigation water quality index (IWQI) for regional use in the Federal District, Brazil.

The present study aimed to propose a water quality index (WQI) for the Federal District, Brazil, as a management tool for water resources used in irrigation. Irrigated agriculture is a sector that has been growing in the region, with a consequent demand for quality water. One strategy for assessing water quality in rural areas is to adopt monitoring programs, which generate a large amount of data that often needs to be synthesized. The use of indexes is a way of organizing data in a synthetic and easy to understand format. Although initially formulated to assess the quality of drinking water, it is believed that a similar logic can easily be applied to assess the quality of irrigation water. Studies that evaluate the quality of water for irrigation are very common in arid or semi-arid regions, due to the problems of saline water in the soil and crops. On the other hand, the microbiological approach to water is poorly investigated, since contamination of crops can pose a risk to food security. In this work, three water bodies were selected in rural areas due to their preponderant use: irrigation. The monitoring occurred between May 2012 and April 2013 in 9 sampling points. For each sample collected, 22 physical, chemical, and biological parameters were established. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used in the evaluation and selection of water quality variables to compose the WQI. From PCA, it was possible to reduce the number of parameters from 16 to 6 main ones that reflect the water resources characteristics in the region, which were pH, electrical conductivity, total hardness, sodium absorption ratio, nitrate, and Escherichia coli. Of the five classes proposed for WQI, two points were classified as "very good." The other sample points were classified as "good" and "average" for the irrigation practice. The adapted WQI proved to be a good tool in the management of the water quality of the three rivers, and it can be easily used to assess the quality of water for irrigation in the region.

Cytokine gene expression and molecular detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosisin organs of experimentally infected mice / Expressão de citocinas e detecção molecular de Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis em órgãos de camundongos infectados experimentalmente

Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) can infect ruminants and remain subclinical for long periods within herds. The identification of organs that are more susceptible to infection and the evaluation of cytokine expression at the site of infection are important to understand the pathogenesis of MAP. In this study, the probability of detection of MAP-DNA and the expression of cytokines in organs of C57BL/6 mice infected intraperitoneally for 120 days were evaluated. Among the evaluated organs, the spleen (85%), colon (75%) and liver (60%) had the highest frequency of positivity. When compared these frequencies between organs, it has been found that the spleen had 1.54 times as likely to be positive in relation to the ileum, and 2.0 times more likely in relation to the Peyer's patches. In addition, at 60 days post-infection, the spleen and the liver were responsible for upregulation of IFN-γ , and the ileum by TNF-α and IL-4. The results indicate that the spleen is the best organ for evaluating an experimental infection by MAP, especially in the initial stages of the infection. Moreover, it showed that the spleen, liver and ileum have a direct role in the inflammatory response in experimental models.

Mycobacterium avium subespécie paratuberculosis (MAP) pode infectar ruminantes e permanecer subclínica por longos períodos nos rebanhos. A identificação de órgãos mais susceptíveis à infecção e a avaliação da expressão das citocinas no local da infecção são importantes para compreender a patogênese de MAP. Neste estudo foi avaliada a probabilidade de detecção de DNA de MAP e a expressão de citocinas em órgãos de camundongos C57BL/6 infectados por via intraperitoneal durante 120 dias. Dentre os órgãos avaliados, o baço (85%), cólon (75%) e fígado (60%) tiveram as maiores frequências de positividade. Quando comparadas essas frequências entre os órgãos, verificou-se que o baço teve 1,54 vezes mais probabilidade de ser positivo em relação ao íleo, e 2,0 vezes mais probabilidade em relação às placas de Peyer. Além disso, aos 60 dias pós infecção, o baço e o fígado foram responsáveis pela maior expressão de IFN-γ e o íleo pela TNF-α e IL-4. Os resultados indicam que o baço é o melhor órgão para avaliar uma infecção experimental por MAP, principalmente nos períodos iniciais da infecção. Além disso, demonstrou que o baço, fígado e íleo têm importância direta na resposta inflamatória de modelos experimentais.

[Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability and validity of the resilience scale]. / Adaptação transcultural, confiabilidade e validade da escala de resiliência.

This study describes the cross-cultural adaptation to Portuguese and the psychometric evaluation of the resilience scale developed by Wagnild & Young. The scale was adapted for a sample of students from public schools in São Gonçalo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Data from the pilot study (203 students interviewed at two points in time) and from the entire study (977) are presented. The cross-cultural adaptation showed good results in the semantic equivalence for: general meaning (above 90.0%) and referential meaning (above 85.0%). Chronbach alpha was 0.85 in the pilot study and 0.80 in the total sample. Kappa between the two points in time was regular and moderate, and the intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.746 (p = 0.000). Factorial analysis indicated three non-homogeneous factors. Construct validity demonstrated direct and significant correlation with self-esteem, family supervision, life satisfaction, and social support. There was an inverse correlation with the scale that evaluates psychological violence.

Adaptacão transcultural, confiabilidade e validade da escala de resiliência / Cross-cultural adaptation, reliability and validity of the resilience scale

Busca-se apresentar os resultados da adaptacão transcultural para o português da escala de resilência de Wagnild & Young e da avaliacão psicométrica desta. A escala foi adaptada para uma amostra de escolares dos ensinos fundamental e médio da rede pública de ensino do Município de São Goncalo, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. São apresentados dados do estudo-piloto, com 203 alunos entrevistados em dois momentos consecutivos (teste-reteste), bem como do total de alunos investigados na pesquisa (977). Quanto à adaptacão transcultural, foram encontrados bons resultados na equivalência semântica dos itens, tanto para o significado geral,quanto para o referencial. O alfa de Chronbach encontrado foi de 0,85 no pré-teste e 0,80 na amostra total. Na confiabilidade intra-observador, verificou-se que o kappa situou-se entre regular e moderado e o coeficiente de correlacão intraclasse foi de 0,746 (p = 0,000). Análise fatorial indicou três fatores não totalmente homogêneos e diferenciados dos achados pelo autor da escala. Quanto à validade de constructo, nota-se correlacão direta e significativa com auto-estima, supervisão familiar, satisfacão de vida e apoio social. Verificou-se correlacão inversa com a escala que avalia violência psicológica.

[Violence and social representation in teenagers in Brazil]. / Violência e representação social na adolescência no Brasil.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between the self-representation of teenagers and the severe physical, psychological, and sexual violence inflicted on them by close family relations, especially their parents, and to analyze the association between victimization in the family and victimization in other social spaces. METHOD: An epidemiological survey was carried out in 2002 with 1 685 adolescents chosen at random from public and private schools in the municipality of São Gonçalo, which is in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. To measure each form of violence, we used scales of tactics for dealing with conflict, of child abuse and trauma, and of psychological violence. RESULTS: We found that 14.6% of the students had been physically abused by the father or the mother and that 11.8% had witnessed sexual abuse of another family member or they themselves had been sexually abused. In addition, 48.0% of the students reported having been psychologically abused by a close relation. In comparison to students who had not been abused, the victims of family abuse were more often also victims of community and school violence, and they also more frequently reported having broken the law. Overall, the adolescents surveyed had a positive self-representation, but the adolescents who had been abused mentioned negative self-attributes more frequently than did the teenagers who had not been abused. CONCLUSIONS: The predominantly positive social representation of teenagers must be supported by health promotion initiatives. The finding of an association between indices of violence and the teenager's various spheres of action indicates that resolving this problem will require strategies that target all these spheres.

Violência e representação social na adolescência no Brasil / Violence and social representation in teenagers in Brazil

OBJETIVO: Investigar a associação entre a representação que os adolescentes têm de si e a violência física severa, psicológica e sexual que sofrem de pessoas que lhes são importantes, sobretudo os pais; e analisar a associação entre a vitimização na família e em outros espaços sociais. MÉTODO: Inquérito epidemiológico com 1 685 estudantes selecionados aleatoriamente nas escolas públicas e particulares do Município de São Gonçalo (RJ), Brasil, em 2002. Para aferir cada uma das formas de violência foram usadas escalas de avaliação de táticas para lidar com conflito, de abuso e trauma infantil e de violência psicológica. RESULTADOS: Constatou-se que 14,6 por cento dos estudantes sofriam violência física severa de pai ou mãe; 11,8 por cento testemunharam ou vivenciaram violência sexual na família; 48,0 por cento relataram sofrer violência psicológica de pessoas significativas. Os adolescentes que sofrem essas formas de violência são mais freqüentemente vítimas de violência na comunidade e na escola, relatando-se também mais transgressores da lei. Em geral, possuem uma representação positiva de si próprios, embora mencionem atributos negativos com maior freqüência. CONCLUSÃO: A representação social predominantemente positiva entre jovens necessita ser estimulada nas atividades de promoção à saúde. A constatação de que os índices de violência estão associados às várias esferas de atuação dos adolescentes indica que a resolução do problema depende de estratégias que englobem todas essas esferas.

A representação social do ser adolescente: um passo decisivo na promoção da saúde / The social representation to be adolescent: a decisive step to health promotion

Este artigo aborda a adolescência de forma original: o sentimento que o adolescente possui sobre si mesmo, seus valores e competência. Apresenta os resultados de um inquérito epidemiológico que investiga o autoconceito e a auto-estima de 1.686 adolescentes escolares das escolas públicas e particulares de São Gonçalo, município do Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Objetiva conhecer a representação social que esses adolescentes fazem de si próprios. Utiliza-se a técnica denominada teoria do núcleo central como arcabouço metodológico. Os resultados indicam que os adolescentes têm uma visão muito positiva de si próprios, conjugando a idéia de alegria/bom humor/extroversão e satisfação com o corpo, a despeito da visão que os adultos e a sociedade em geral têm deles. A partir disso, conclui-se que a otimista visão de si do adolescente precisa ser reconhecida e implementada nas estratégias de promoção da saúde, prevenção e atenção dos agravos à saúde.