The role of glyphosate-resistant weeds and starvation on biological, reproductive, and preference parameters of Chrysodeixis includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae).

Glyphosate-resistant weeds are difficult to manage and can serve as hosts for pests that threaten cultivated crops. Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is one of the main polyphagous pests of soybean in Brazil that can benefit from weeds' presence during season and off-season. Despite its pest status, little is known about C. includens survival and development on alternative hosts, including those resistant to glyphosate. Therefore, we assessed the biology, reproduction, preference, and survival at different feeding periods of C. includens on seven glyphosate-resistant weeds (Sumatran fleabane, Italian ryegrass, sourgrass, goosegrass, smooth pigweed, wild poinsettia, hairy beggarticks) commonly found in Brazilian agroecosystems, under laboratory conditions. Our results showed that C. includens survival and reproduction were similar on soybean and wild poinsettia. Survival and reproduction were lower on smooth pigweed and hairy beggarticks. Also, these plants prolonged the larval stage. Larvae did not pupate when fed on sourgrass, goosegrass, Italian ryegrass, and Sumatran fleabane. However, on Sumatran fleabane their biomass was higher. The mean generation time was lower on wild poinsettia. This weed was preferred to soybean. An antifeeding factor was observed on Sumatran fleabane. Larvae fed for 11 days on soybean, wild poinsettia and smooth pigweed developed into pupae. In agricultural systems, farmers must pay attention to the management of these weeds, especially wild poinsettia, smooth pigweed, and hairy beggarticks, to interrupt the cycle of this pest, since these plants can serve as main sources of infestation for the soybean crop.

Interaction between pesticides applied alone or in mixtures in corn.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the selectivity of herbicides applied alone or in tank mix, and also of combinations of different classes of pesticides (fungicides, herbicides and insecticides) on corn. An experiment was installed in the 2017/18 crop to assess herbicide selectivity, and repeated in 2018/19. The second experiment aimed to assess the selectivity of mixtures of different classes of pesticides, and was installed only in 2017/18. The experimental design adopted in the tests was randomized blocks, with four replicates. In each trial, a total of 16 treatments were evaluated, plus a control. At 7, 14 and 21 days after the application of treatments the phytotoxicity to corn was evaluated and the yield components and grain yield were determined. Herbicides caused low levels of injury to the corn plants, with small variations in yield components, and affected crop yield differently. The mixtures of pesticides promoted low phytotoxicity, affected yield components inconsistently and caused changes in corn yield. Although these herbicides and other pesticides are registered for use in corn crops, application alone or in tank mix of certain molecules can cause losses in grain yield.

Tank mixture of glyphosate and 2,4-D applied on RR® maize crop.

Herbicide tank-mixing is often carried out by farmers aiming to control weeds in crops. Thus, it is important to evaluate the effects of these mixtures regarding the selectivity of crops. The aim of this work is to assess the selectivity of increasing doses of herbicides (glyphosate and 2,4-D), applied alone or as a mixture, on maize crop. Two experiments were carried out in randomized blocks, with four replications, during two crop years. The evaluated variables were: phytotoxicity, plant height, stem diameter, ear length, number of rows per ear, number of grains per row, mass of 1,000 grains and grain yield. The herbicide, 2,4-D, when applied in mixture with glyphosate caused severe phytotoxicity symptoms on maize. Grain yield and growth characteristics were not affected by the herbicides applied alone or as a mixture. Increasing doses of 2,4-D caused severe phytotoxicity symptoms on hybrid Status VIP3. Increasing doses of glyphosate did not show phytotoxicity symptoms and are not directly correlated to any injury caused by 2,4-D in the SX 5885 VIP3 maize hybrid.

Prevalence and clinical features of respiratory syncytial virus in children hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia in northern Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Childhood pneumonia and bronchiolitis is a leading cause of illness and death in young children worldwide with Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) as the main viral cause. RSV has been associated with annual respiratory disease outbreaks and bacterial co-infection has also been reported. This study is the first RSV epidemiological study in young children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Belém city, Pará (Northern Brazil). METHODS: With the objective of determining the prevalence of RSV infection and evaluating the patients' clinical and epidemiological features, we conducted a prospective study across eight hospitals from November 2006 to October 2007. In this study, 1,050 nasopharyngeal aspirate samples were obtained from hospitalized children up to the age of three years with CAP, and tested for RSV antigen by direct immunofluorescence assay and by Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) for RSV Group identification. RESULTS: RSV infection was detected in 243 (23.1%) children. The mean age of the RSV-positive group was lower than the RSV-negative group (12.1 months vs 15.5 months, p<0.001) whereas gender distribution was similar. The RSV-positive group showed lower means of C-reactive protein (CRP) in comparison to the RSV-negative group (15.3 vs 24.0 mg/dL, p<0.05). Radiological findings showed that 54.2% of RSV-positive group and 50.3% of RSV-negative group had interstitial infiltrate. Bacterial infection was identified predominantly in the RSV-positive group (10% vs 4.5%, p<0.05). Rhinorrhea and nasal obstruction were predominantly observed in the RSV-positive group. A co-circulation of RSV Groups A and B was identified, with a predominance of Group B (209/227). Multivariate analysis revealed that age under 1 year (p<0.015), CRP levels under 48 mg/dL (p<0.001) and bacterial co-infection (p<0.032) were independently associated with the presence of RSV and, in the analyze of symptoms, nasal obstruction were independently associated with RSV-positive group (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The present study highlights the relevance of RSV infection in hospitalized cases of CAP in our region; our findings warrant the conduct of further investigations which can help design strategies for controlling the disease.