Selection of active plant extracts against the coffee leaf miner Leucoptera coffeella (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae) / Seleção de extratos de plantas ativos contra o bicho-mineiro-do-cafeeiro Leucoptera coffeella (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae)

Aiming to contribute to the development of alternative control methods of the coffee leaf miner, Leucoptera coffeella (Guérin-Mèneville & Perrottet, 1842) (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae), a search for plants able to produce active substances against this insect was carried out, with species collected during different periods of time in the Alto Rio Grande region, (Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil). Coffee leaves containing L. coffeella mines were joined with 106 extracts from 77 plant species and, after 48 hours, the dead and alive caterpillars were counted. The extracts from Achillea millefolium, Citrus limon, Glechoma hederacea, Malva sylvestris, Mangifera indica, Mentha spicata, Mirabilis jalapa, Musa sapientum, Ocimum basiculum, Petiveria alliaceae, Porophyllum ruderale, Psidium guajava, Rosmarinus officinalis, Roupala montana, Sambucus nigra and Tropaeolum majus showed the highest mortality rates.

Visando contribuir para o desenvolvimento de métodos alternativos de controle do bicho-mineiro-do-cafeeiro, Leucoptera coffeella (Lepidoptera: Lyonetiidae), buscou-se selecionar plantas coletadas em diferentes épocas na região do Alto Rio Grande, (Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brasil) que contenham substâncias ativas contra este inseto. Folhas de cafeeiro com minas intactas de L. coffeella foram colocadas em contato com 106 extratos provenientes de 78 espécies vegetais e, após 48 horas, contaram-se as lagartas vivas e mortas. Os extratos de Achillea millefolium, Citrus limon, Glechoma hederacea, Malva sylvestris, Mangifera indica, Mentha spicata, Mirabilis jalapa, Musa sapientum, Ocimum basiculum, Petiveria alliaceae, Porophyllum ruderale, Psidium guajava, Rosmarinus officinalis, Roupala montana, Sambucus nigra e Tropaeolum majus, provocaram os maiores índices de mortalidade.

Use of serological techniques for determination of Spodoptera frugiperda (J E Smith) predators (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Spodoptera frugiperda (J E Smith) is an important pest of several crops, but especially on maize in Brazil. The implementation of biological control measures hinges on the identification of its predators and other natural enemies. As a means of identifying predators, antibodies against S. frugiperda eggs were generated by inoculating rabbits with macerated S. frugiperda eggs, and the production of antibodies against S. frugiperda egg proteins was verifi ed by double immunodiffusion (DID). These antibodies were then utilized in another serological technique, counterimmunoeletrophoresis (CIE), to identify insects that could have ingested S. frugiperda eggs. Macerates of entire insects collected in maize plantations and of individual parts of their digestive tract, including the crop, were the source of antigens in the CIE, while predators fed S. frugiperda eggs in the laboratory served as the control. Antibodies produced by the inoculated rabbits were effective in detecting S. frugiperda egg proteins, especially if crop macerates were used as antigens. Among the species of insects collected from maize plantations, Lagria villosa Fabricius (Coleoptera: Lagriidae) and a species of Lygaeidae (Hemiptera) were identified as possible S. frugiperda predators.