ABSTRACT
Automeris liberia (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) caterpillars are important defoliators of the African oil palm, Elaeis guineensis (Arecaceae) in Central and South America. The family Tachinidae (Diptera) comprises flies that are parasitoids of many insect pests, mainly from the order Lepidoptera. However, host records for tachinids are still relatively scarce. In the present work, we report the occurrence of Belvosia sp. aff. williamsi (Diptera: Tachinidae: Exoristinae: Goniini) and Leptostylum oligothrix (Diptera: Tachinidae: Exoristinae: Blondeliini) parasitizing caterpillars of A. liberia in E. guineensis in the municipality of Tailândia, state of Pará, Brazil. This is the first record of the parasitism of A. liberia by Leptostylum in Brazil, as well as by Belvosia in the world.(AU)
Lagartas de Automeris liberia (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) são importantes desfolhadoras da palma de óleo, Elaeis guineensis (Arecaceae) nas Américas Central e do Sul. A família Tachinidae (Diptera) compreende moscas parasitoides de muitos insetos-praga, principalmente da ordem Lepidoptera. Contudo, o registro de hospedeiros de taquinídeos ainda é relativamente escasso. No presente trabalho, relatamos a ocorrência de Belvosia sp. aff. williamsi (Diptera: Tachinidae: Exoristinae: Goniini) e Leptostylum oligothrix (Diptera: Tachinidae: Exoristinae: Blondeliini) parasitando lagartas de A. liberia em E. guineensis no município de Tailândia, Pará, Brasil. Trata-se do primeiro registro do parasitismo de A. liberia por Leptostylum no Brasil, bem como o primeiro por Belvosia no mundo.(AU)
Subject(s)
Animals , Parasitic Diseases , Diptera/parasitology , Lepidoptera/parasitology , Palm OilABSTRACT
A novel baculovirus observed to infect Automeris liberia (Cramer) (bullseye moth) is here described. Caterpillars of A. liberia with symptoms of viral infection were collected from African oil palm plantations in Tailândia, PA, Brazil. Macerated caterpillars were then offered to caterpillars of Automeris cinctistriga (Felder & Rogenhoper), leading to viral symptoms and death before pupation. A transmission electron microscope was used for virus ultrastructural identification. The presence of viral occlusion bodies (OBs) containing multiple nucleocapsids was observed and such features are compatible with Alphabaculovirus (Baculoviridae). Molecular detection by PCR with primers for polyhedrin gene (polh) and for late expression factor-8 gene (lef-8), confirmed that this isolate belonged to Alphabaculovirus genus. To our knowledge, this is the first record of a baculovirus isolated from or associated to Automeris. The name Automeris liberia nucleopolyhedrovirus (AuliNPV) is proposed for the new virus.
Subject(s)
Lepidoptera , Moths , Nucleopolyhedroviruses , Animals , Baculoviridae , Brazil , Liberia , Nucleopolyhedroviruses/genetics , Nucleopolyhedroviruses/ultrastructure , PhylogenyABSTRACT
Automeris liberia Cramer are found in South America, with documented sightings in Ecuador, Peru, some regions of Mexico and, more recently, the Brazilian Amazon. These moths cause damage to several plant species. We designed an experiment to study the biology and morphometry of A. liberia in the laboratory and provide information for the management of the pest in oil palm cultivation in the Brazilian Amazon. Caterpillars for rearing were collected from commercial areas of oil palm cultivation, where they cause defoliation of the plant. They were fed a natural diet of oil palm leaves of the Tenera variety and observed from second generation onwards. Sex, behavior, posture, mass, body length, wingspan, body diameter, sex ratio, average growth ratio, and antenna were quantified. The embryonic stage lasted 14 days, followed by seven larval instar stages over 36 days. The pupal stage lasted 21 days. Adults had a longevity of 4.5 and 6 days and a total biological cycle of 78.5 and 80 days, for males and females, respectively. The growth ratio was 1.49. The antennae showed sexual dimorphism, with bipectinate morphology in males and filiform in females. In the adult stage, morphological variables were evaluated (body length, thoracic diameter, wingspan, forewing length, forewing height, hindwing length, hindwing height, antenna length, number of antennomeres, and body mass), and they showed significant differences between males and females (Newman-Keuls test, P < 0.05).(AU)
A espécie Automeris liberia Cramer tem ocorrência na América do Sul, com registro no Equador, Peru, algumas regiões no México e, mais recentemente, na Amazônia brasileira, causando danos a várias espécies de plantas. Objetivou-se estudar pioneiramente a biologia e a morfometria de A. liberia em laboratório, visando subsidiar informações para o manejo da praga na cultura da palma de óleo, na Amazônia brasileira. A criação, foi oriunda de lagartas coletadas em áreas comerciais de palma de óleo, onde as quais estavam causando desfolhamentos. Foram alimentadas com dieta natural a base de folhas de palma de óleo da var. Tenera. As observações foram iniciadas a partir da segunda geração. Foram avaliados sexagem, comportamento, posturas, massa, comprimento, envergadura, diâmetro do corpo, razão sexual, razão da média de crescimento e antena. O estágio embrionário durou 14 dias e o larval apresentou sete instares em 36 dias. O estágio pupal foi de 21 dias. Os adultos apresentaram longevidade de 4,5 e 6 dias e ciclo biológico total de 78,5 e 80 dias, para machos e fêmeas, respectivamente. A razão de crescimento foi de 1,49. As antenas apresentaram dimorfismo sexual, sendo do macho tipo bipectinada e da fêmea filiforme. Na fase adulta foram avaliadas variáveis morfológicas (comprimento do corpo, diâmetro do tórax, envergadura, comprimento da asa anterior, altura da asa anterior, comprimento da asa posterior, altura da asa posterior, comprimento da antena, número de antenômeros e massa corpórea) entre machos e fêmeas, as quais apresentaram diferença estatística pelo teste Newman-Keuls (P < 0,05).(AU)
Subject(s)
Biological Products , Oils , Lepidoptera/anatomy & histologyABSTRACT
The coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is the most important coffee pest in most of the coffee growing countries. CBB females leave old dry berries after harvest and search for dry noninfested berries on the plant or on the ground to lay eggs or to use as refuge until new berries are available on the coffee trees in the following season. The CBB infestation level and emergence from berries on the ground or on the plants were evaluated in two fields post-harvest in the Spring in Brazil over two seasons. Twenty infested or noninfested berries in separate cages (250 ml plastic cups) were placed on the plants or on the ground under the tree canopy, in each field. The number of infested berries and CBB females that emerged from the infested berries were recorded weekly. CBB emergence was higher from berries on the ground than those on the coffee trees in both seasons, whereas CBB infestation was higher on coffee berries on the plants than those on the ground in season I. Insolation (hours of sunlight) and temperature were the main covariates that affected emergence and infestation by this insect. The results are discussed for monitoring CBB during the time of dispersal with implications on integrated management of this pest.
Subject(s)
Coffea , Population Dynamics , Weevils/growth & development , Animals , Climate , Crops, Agricultural , Ecological Parameter Monitoring , Factor Analysis, Statistical , Pest Control , Plants , Seeds , Sunlight , Temperature , Weevils/physiologyABSTRACT
ABSTRACT The oil palm is an economically important crop cultivated in the North of Brazil. Damage caused by insects is one of the main causes of reduced productivity for the oil palm. Before this research, only the beetles of the family Curculionidae were considered to be oil palm pests in Brazil. However, for the first time, we report on the damage caused by a giant rhinoceros beetle to oil palm plantations in Pará, Brazil. The beetle was identified as Golofa claviger (Linnaeus, 1771), which has a single record in Brazil (Pará) but is widely distributed in South America. The species occurs in an unprecedentedly high abundance of local specimens. The attacks are concentrated on the central cluster of young palms. Feeding behavior is identified as the main cause of the damage as the beetles use their mouthparts to rip the plant tissues, causing wedge-shaped cuts on young fronds that have not yet unfurled. After an attack, the leaflets of the unfurled fronds are partially destroyed.
ABSTRACT
This study validated the use of leaf 17 on the sampling of Opsiphanes invirae Hübner (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) through the quantification of caterpillar abundance on the different spirals leaves, in comparison to leaf 17, and, on the apical, intermediate and basal leaf regions. This study was performed in the state of Pará, between March-2014 and March-2015. Results confirmed that leaf 17 is the most adequate method for monitoring this defoliator pest.(AU)
Esta pesquisa validou a utilização da folha 17, nas amostragens de Opsiphanes invirae Hübner )Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), através da quantificação da abundância de lagartas nas diferentes folhas que compõem os espirais em comparação com a folha 17, e, em diferentes regiões da folha (apical, intermediária e basal). O estudo foi realizado no Pará entre março de 2014 e março de 2015. Os resultados confirmam que a folha 17 é a mais adequada para ser utilizada no monitoramento desse desfolhador.(AU)
Subject(s)
Animals , Lepidoptera , Sampling Studies , Arecaceae , Environmental Monitoring , Pest ControlABSTRACT
The present study aimed to add value to palm oil by-products as substrates to efficiently produce conidia of Beauveria bassiana and Isaria javanica (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) for biological control of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), through a solid-state fermentation process using palm kernel cake and palm fiber as nutrient source and solid matrix, respectively. The optimum culture conditions yielded high concentrations of viable conidia after air-drying, when the fungi were grown on palm kernel cake (B. bassiana 7.65 × 109 and I. javanica 2.91 × 109 conidia g-1 dry substrate) after 6 days under optimal growth conditions set to 60% substrate moisture and 32 °C. Both fungal strains exhibited high efficacy against third-instar whitefly nymphs, inducing mortality up to 62.9 and 56.6% by B. bassiana and I. javanica, respectively, assessed after 9 days post-application in a screenhouse. Furthermore, we noted that insect mortality was strongly correlated with high atmospheric moisture, while B. bassiana appeared to require shorter accumulative hours under high moisture to kill whitefly nymphs compared to I. javanica. Our results underpin a feasible and cost-effective mass production method for aerial conidia, using palm kernel as the main substrate in order to produce efficacious fungal bioinsecticides against an invasive whitefly species in Brazil. Finally, our fermentation process may offer a sustainable and cost-effective means to produce eco-friendly mycoinsecticides, using an abundant agro-industrial by-product from Brazil that will ultimately assist in the integrated management of agricultural insect pests.
Subject(s)
Beauveria/metabolism , Cordyceps/metabolism , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Industrial Waste , Insecticides/metabolism , Animals , Beauveria/growth & development , Biotransformation , Brazil , Cordyceps/growth & development , Fermentation , Hemiptera/drug effects , Insecticides/pharmacology , Nymph/drug effects , Survival Analysis , TemperatureABSTRACT
ABSTRACT: This study validated the use of leaf 17 on the sampling of Opsiphanes invirae Hübner (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) through the quantification of caterpillar abundance on the different spirals leaves, in comparison to leaf 17, and, on the apical, intermediate and basal leaf regions. This study was performed in the state of Pará, between March-2014 and March-2015. Results confirmed that leaf 17 is the most adequate method for monitoring this defoliator pest.
RESUMO: Esta pesquisa validou a utilização da folha 17, nas amostragens de Opsiphanes invirae Hübner )Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), através da quantificação da abundância de lagartas nas diferentes folhas que compõem os espirais em comparação com a folha 17, e, em diferentes regiões da folha (apical, intermediária e basal). O estudo foi realizado no Pará entre março de 2014 e março de 2015. Os resultados confirmam que a folha 17 é a mais adequada para ser utilizada no monitoramento desse desfolhador.
ABSTRACT
This work studied the spatial dispersion of cases of fatal yellowing (FY) in an oil palm plantation in Acará, Pará State, Brazil. Data were collected monthly from two areas, divided in 16 quadrants each, for a 24 month period (2012-2013). In each quadrant, 138 plants were evaluated. The number of diseased plants was counted in twenty planting lines, and the spatial pattern of the disease was analyzed. The following spatial analysis techniques were used: common sequences of runs, doublets and quadrants. We also determined the levels of disease aggregation in the sectors. Plants with FY had a spatial distribution aggregated in a lower line number when using the run analysis than when using the doublets method. Aggregation of FY cases was observed in 30% of the evaluated lines. The quadrant analysis confirmed the existence of case aggregation, with vertical and horizontal distribution. The existence of disease forming foci suggests that FY probably has biotic origin. Additional studies are required to confirm this hypothesis.(AU)
O trabalho teve por objetivo estudar a dispersão espacial de casos de amarelecimento fatal (FY) em plantio de palma de óleo no município de Acará, Estado do Pará, Brasil. Os dados da incidência de FY foram coletados em inspeções mensais, durante vinte e quatro meses (2012 e 2013) em duas subáreas, com dezesseis quadrantes cada. Foram avaliadas 138 plantas em cada quadrante. Em vinte linhas de plantio foram contados o número de plantas doentes e feita análise do arranjo espacial da doença. As técnicas de análise espacial utilizadas foram: a sequências ordinárias de runs, doublets e quadrantes. Também foram determinados índices de agregação da doença nas subáreas. Plantas com FY apresentaram distribuição espacial agregada em número menor de linha quando utilizando a metodologia de analise de runs que quando utilizada a metodologia de doublets. Verificou-se que em 30% das linhas avaliadas houve agregação de casos de FY. A análise de quadrantes evidenciou a existência de agregação de casos, com distribuição vertical e horizontal. A ocorrência da doença formando reboleiras sugere que o FY tem origem biótica, sendo necessários mais estudos para confirmar a hipótese.(AU)
Subject(s)
Demography , Epidemiology , Palm Oil/analysis , Palm Oil/chemistryABSTRACT
This work studied the spatial dispersion of cases of fatal yellowing (FY) in an oil palm plantation in Acará, Pará State, Brazil. Data were collected monthly from two areas, divided in 16 quadrants each, for a 24 month period (2012-2013). In each quadrant, 138 plants were evaluated. The number of diseased plants was counted in twenty planting lines, and the spatial pattern of the disease was analyzed. The following spatial analysis techniques were used: common sequences of runs, doublets and quadrants. We also determined the levels of disease aggregation in the sectors. Plants with FY had a spatial distribution aggregated in a lower line number when using the run analysis than when using the doublets method. Aggregation of FY cases was observed in 30% of the evaluated lines. The quadrant analysis confirmed the existence of case aggregation, with vertical and horizontal distribution. The existence of disease forming foci suggests that FY probably has biotic origin. Additional studies are required to confirm this hypothesis.
O trabalho teve por objetivo estudar a dispersão espacial de casos de amarelecimento fatal (FY) em plantio de palma de óleo no município de Acará, Estado do Pará, Brasil. Os dados da incidência de FY foram coletados em inspeções mensais, durante vinte e quatro meses (2012 e 2013) em duas subáreas, com dezesseis quadrantes cada. Foram avaliadas 138 plantas em cada quadrante. Em vinte linhas de plantio foram contados o número de plantas doentes e feita análise do arranjo espacial da doença. As técnicas de análise espacial utilizadas foram: a sequências ordinárias de runs, doublets e quadrantes. Também foram determinados índices de agregação da doença nas subáreas. Plantas com FY apresentaram distribuição espacial agregada em número menor de linha quando utilizando a metodologia de analise de runs que quando utilizada a metodologia de doublets. Verificou-se que em 30% das linhas avaliadas houve agregação de casos de FY. A análise de quadrantes evidenciou a existência de agregação de casos, com distribuição vertical e horizontal. A ocorrência da doença formando reboleiras sugere que o FY tem origem biótica, sendo necessários mais estudos para confirmar a hipótese.
Subject(s)
Demography , Epidemiology , Palm Oil/analysis , Palm Oil/chemistryABSTRACT
Opsiphanes invirae (Lepidopera: Nymphalidae) is a common pest of the African oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis) in Brazil. Dead larvae were collected in canopy of oil palm trees cultivated in the amazon region (Para State) and analyzed for viral infection. Electron microscopy of caterpillar extracts showed an icosahedral picorna-like virus particle with 30nm in diameter. Total RNA extracted from partially purified virus particles was sequenced. A contig of 10,083 nucleotides (nt) was identified and showed to encode one single predicted polyprotein with 3185 amino acid residues. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the new virus was closely related to another lepidopteran infective virus Spodoptera exigua iflavirus 1(SeIV-1), with 35% amino acid pairwise identity. The novel virus fulfils all ICTV requirements for a new iflavirus species and was named Opsiphanes invirae Iflavirus 1 (OilV-1).