Impacts of seven insecticides on Cotesia flavipes (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).

The endoparasitoid wasp Cotesia flavipes (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is inundatively released in Brazilian sugarcane plantations to control the sugarcane borers Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius) and Diatraea flavipennella (Box) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae). In conjunction with these releases, several synthetic insecticides are used to control the neonate larvae of these pests. We assessed the lethal and transgenerational sublethal effects of seven of these insecticides on C. flavipes. Leaf discs were sprayed at the highest field concentrations of chlorantraniliprole, lambda-cyhalothrin + chlorantraniliprole, chlorfluazuron, triflumuron, lambda-cyhalothrin + thiamethoxam, tebufenozide, and novaluron. Distilled water was used as a negative control. Newly emerged females (24 h old) were placed in Petri dishes containing the treated leaves, and the lethal and transgenerational sublethal effects were assessed for the next two generations. Lambda-cyhalothrin + chlorantraniliprole and lambda-cyhalothrin + thiamethoxam caused 100% mortality of the parasitoid and were highly persistent, causing more than 30% mortality at 30 days after spraying. Chlorantraniliprole, chlorfluazuron, novaluron, and triflumuron did not cause significant mortality compared to the negative control, but did have transgenerational sublethal effects. The length of the tibia of the right posterior leg, used as a growth measurement, was reduced in the progeny (F1 generation) of exposed female parasitoids. In addition, chlorantraniliprole increased and chlorfluazuron reduced the proportion of females in the F1 generation, whereas novaluron reduced the proportion of females in the F2 generation. Overall, only tebufenozide was considered harmless to C. flavipes. The results of this study suggest that lambda-cyhalothrin + chlorantraniliprole and lambda-cyhalothrin + thiamethoxam are harmful to C. flavipes, although field studies are needed to obtain results for actual sugarcane crops.

Pest Management Systems and Insecticide Tolerance of Lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae).

Lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) are part of the beneficial fauna found in citrus orchards under both organic and conventional pest management. Due to their importance, knowledge about susceptibility of these predators to insecticides is a key element for their use as biological control agents. We studied the inter- and intraspecific susceptibility of the following lacewing species to bifenthrin, chlorpyrifos, and imidacloprid: Ceraeochrysa cincta (Schneider) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae), Ceraeochrysa cubana (Hagen), Ceraeochrysa paraguaria (Navás), and Chrysoperla externa (Hagen). Different concentrations of these insecticides were sprayed on first instar larvae of these lacewing species from six orchards (three organic and three conventional), and LC50s were estimated. Development and reproduction of the most common lacewing, C. cincta, from both organic and conventional management systems were also studied. Lacewings from conventional management areas do not always have greater tolerance to insecticides. Chrysoperla externa was the most susceptible species to insecticides. Ceraeochrysa cincta displayed the highest LC50 and its populations from the conventional system showed lower egg hatching but shorter egg and larval developmental time. Adults collected from orchards managed conventionally lived longer, exhibited a higher population growth rate and a reduced doubling time. Ceraeochrysa cincta was the more tolerant species to insecticides better coping with systems that rely on chemical control as the main pest management tactic used.

Sublethal effects of pyrethroid and neonicotinoid insecticides on Iphiseiodes zuluagai Denmark and Muma (Mesostigmata: Phytoseiidae).

The predator mite Iphiseiodes zuluagai Denmark & Muma is an important biological-control agent of mite pests, and it is one of the most common species found in citrus orchards. This study assessed, under laboratory conditions, the toxicity and duration of the harmful effects of five insecticides, the three pyrethroids deltamethrin, esfenvalerate and lambda-cyhalothrin, and the two neonicotinoids imidacloprid and thiamethoxam on I. zuluagai. Furthermore, we estimated the life-table parameters of the predator. Our results showed that deltamethrin and lambda-cyhalothrin caused higher mortality of larvae and adults than imidacloprid and thiamethoxam. In contrast, esfenvalerate provided larval mortality similar to imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, but it did not cause significant adult mortality of the predator. Mites that developed on pyrethroid residues showed lower survival of the immature stages, fecundity, and longevity compared to neonicotinoid residues and the control treatment. The estimated life-table parameters indicated that deltamethrin, lambda-cyhalothrin and esfenvalerate caused greater reduction in R o and r of I. zuluagai compared with imidacloprid and thiamethoxam, which were similar to the control treatment. Besides the impacts on biological and population parameters, the duration of the harmful activity of pyrethroid insecticides was longer than the neonicotinoids. Therefore, the use of pyrethroid insecticides to control pest insects may involve serious implications for integrated pest-management programs that aim to exploit the biological control by I. zuluagai in citrus orchards.

Spatial distribution of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) in citrus orchards

The psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama is one of the most important pests of citrus, mainly because it is the vector of the bacterium that causes huanglongbing (HLB) or 'Greening' disease. To study the spatial distribution of nymphs and adults of this pest, an experiment was carried out in two 'Valencia' sweet orange orchards, four and 12 years of age, established in Matão, central area of São Paulo state, Brazil. The following dispersion indices were used to study pest aggregation in the citrus plants: variance/mean relationship (I), index of Morisita (I), coefficient of Green (Cx), the img border=0 width=16 height=16 src="../../../../../img/revistas/sa/v67n5/a08form10.gif" align=absmiddle>exponent of negative binomial distribution, common k ( img border=0 width=16 height=16 src="../../../../../img/revistas/sa/v67n5/a08form10.gif" align=absmiddle>c) and Taylor's Power Law for each sampling. The negative binomial distribution was more representative of the spatial distribution of this psyllid, for both nymphs and adults. For most samplings, psyllid nymphs found in branches and adults caught in traps had an aggregated distribution.

O psilídeo Diaphorina citri Kuwayama tornou-se nos últimos anos uma das mais importantes pragas na cultura de citros, principalmente pelos prejuízos causados às plantas por ser o transmissor da bactéria causadora da doença Huanglongbing (HLB) ou 'Greening'. Com a finalidade de estudar a distribuição espacial de ninfas e adultos desta praga, instalaram-se experimentos em duas áreas de citros com histórico de ocorrência de HLB, no município de Matão (região central do Estado de São Paulo), em plantas de laranja 'Valência', com quatro e 12 anos de idade. Para estudo da agregação da população nas plantas, foram utilizados os seguintes índices de dispersão: razão variância/média (I), índice de Morisita (I), coeficiente de Green (Cx) e expoente img border=0 width=16 height=16 src="../../../../../img/revistas/sa/v67n5/a08form10.gif" align=absmiddle>da distribuição binomial negativa, k comum ( img border=0 width=16 height=16 src="../../../../../img/revistas/sa/v67n5/a08form10.gif" align=absmiddle>c) e lei da potência de Taylor para cada amostragem. A distribuição binomial negativa foi o modelo mais adequado para representar a distribuição espacial do psilídeo, tanto para ninfas como para adultos. Na maioria das amostragens, as ninfas encontradas nas brotações e os adultos capturados nas armadilhas apresentaram distribuição agregada.

Spatial distribution of Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) in citrus orchards

The psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama is one of the most important pests of citrus, mainly because it is the vector of the bacterium that causes huanglongbing (HLB) or 'Greening' disease. To study the spatial distribution of nymphs and adults of this pest, an experiment was carried out in two 'Valencia' sweet orange orchards, four and 12 years of age, established in Matão, central area of São Paulo state, Brazil. The following dispersion indices were used to study pest aggregation in the citrus plants: variance/mean relationship (I), index of Morisita (I), coefficient of Green (Cx), the img border=0 width=16 height=16 src="../../../../../img/revistas/sa/v67n5/a08form10.gif" align=absmiddle>exponent of negative binomial distribution, common k ( img border=0 width=16 height=16 src="../../../../../img/revistas/sa/v67n5/a08form10.gif" align=absmiddle>c) and Taylor's Power Law for each sampling. The negative binomial distribution was more representative of the spatial distribution of this psyllid, for both nymphs and adults. For most samplings, psyllid nymphs found in branches and adults caught in traps had an aggregated distribution.

O psilídeo Diaphorina citri Kuwayama tornou-se nos últimos anos uma das mais importantes pragas na cultura de citros, principalmente pelos prejuízos causados às plantas por ser o transmissor da bactéria causadora da doença Huanglongbing (HLB) ou 'Greening'. Com a finalidade de estudar a distribuição espacial de ninfas e adultos desta praga, instalaram-se experimentos em duas áreas de citros com histórico de ocorrência de HLB, no município de Matão (região central do Estado de São Paulo), em plantas de laranja 'Valência', com quatro e 12 anos de idade. Para estudo da agregação da população nas plantas, foram utilizados os seguintes índices de dispersão: razão variância/média (I), índice de Morisita (I), coeficiente de Green (Cx) e expoente img border=0 width=16 height=16 src="../../../../../img/revistas/sa/v67n5/a08form10.gif" align=absmiddle>da distribuição binomial negativa, k comum ( img border=0 width=16 height=16 src="../../../../../img/revistas/sa/v67n5/a08form10.gif" align=absmiddle>c) e lei da potência de Taylor para cada amostragem. A distribuição binomial negativa foi o modelo mais adequado para representar a distribuição espacial do psilídeo, tanto para ninfas como para adultos. Na maioria das amostragens, as ninfas encontradas nas brotações e os adultos capturados nas armadilhas apresentaram distribuição agregada.

Citrus huanglongbing in São Paulo State, Brazil: PCR detection of the 'Candidatus' Liberibacter species associated with the disease.

Symptoms of huanglongbing (HLB), one of the most serious diseases of citrus in Asia and Africa, have been noticed in March 2004 in the Araraquara region of São Paulo State, Brazil. HLB has not been reported previously from America. The causal HLB bacteria, Candidatus Liberibacter africanus in Africa and Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus in Asia, can be detected in symptomatic citrus leaves by PCR amplification of their 16S rDNA with previously described primers. When this technique was applied to 43 symptomatic leaf samples from the Araraquara region, all PCR reactions were negative. This suggested that a new pathogen, not detected by the above primers, could be involved in HLB in the State of São Paulo. Indeed, by using universal primers for amplification of bacterial 16S rDNA, a new liberibacter species, Candidatus Liberibacter americanus, has recently been identified. Specific primers for PCR amplification of the 16S rDNA of Ca. L. americanus have been selected. Using these primers, the new liberibacter could be detected in 214 symptomatic leaf samples tested. The leaves of two additional samples were infected with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus, and two further samples contained both Ca. L. americanus and Ca. L. asiaticus. The samples came from 47 farms in 35 municipalities. The psyllid vector of Ca. L. asiaticus, Diaphorina citri, is established in South, Central, and North America (Florida and Texas). Ca. L. americanus could be detected by PCR in several batches of D. citri psyllids collected on symptomatic sweet orange trees infected with Ca. L. americanus, strongly suggesting that D. citri is the vector of Ca. L. americanus. The results reported here confirm the presence of HLB in the State of São Paulo. Ca. L. americanus is the most widely distributed pathogen.

Inseticidas sistêmicos aplicados via tronco para controle de Oncometopia facialis, Phyllocnistis citrella e Toxoptera citricida em citros

Methods of biological control of Phyllocnistis citrella in citrus are inefficient and chemical control is limited to a few options. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficiency of systemic insecticides to control Oncometopia facialis (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), and Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in citrus plant. The tests was performed enclosing the insects on branches, using five adults of O. facialis per plants. The citrus leaf miner were assessed on three new branches per plant, and for aphids, the number of infested branches was quantified. The insecticides acephate Pellet 970, vamidothion CE 300, monocrotophos CE 400, acetamiprid PM e SL, and imidacloprid SL were efficient to control O. facialis, however with different residual periods, ranging from 12 to 104 days. Acetamiprid SL (1.0 g a.i./plant) and imidacloprid were the most efficient. All tested insecticides were efficient to control T. citricida and P. citrella, except acetamiprid PM (0.4 and 0.6 g a.i./plant). Acetamiprid and imidacloprid showed a period for citrus leaf miner control greater than 42 days.

O controle biológico de insetos vetores de Phyllocnistis citrella em citros tem se mostrado ineficiente e o uso de inseticidas apresenta poucas opções. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a eficiência de inseticidas sistêmicos, aplicados via tronco, no controle de Oncometopia facialis (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Phyllocnistis citrella Staiton (Lepidoptera: Gracillaridae) e Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) em citros. A eficiência para O. facialis foi determinada pelo método de confinamento, utilizando-se 5 cigarrinhas adultas por repetição. Para P. citrella avaliou-se o número de folhas com lagartas em 3 ramos/planta e para T. citricida o número de ramos infestados. O acefate Pellet 970, vamidotion CE 300, monocrotofós CE 400, acetamipride PM e SL, e imidaclopride SL, nas doses testadas, controlam O. facialis, mas com períodos residuais variando de 12 a 104 dias, sendo os mais eficientes acetamipride SL (1,0 g i.a. por planta) e imidaclopride (1,0 g i.a. por planta). Os inseticidas acefate, vamidotion, monocrotofós, acetamipride e imidaclopride foram eficientes no controle de T. citricida e de P. citrella, com exceção de acetamipride PM nas doses de 0,4 e 0,6 g i.a. por planta. Acetamipride e imidaclopride apresentaram período de controle para P. citrella superior a 42 dias.

Inseticidas sistêmicos aplicados via tronco para controle de Oncometopia facialis, Phyllocnistis citrella e Toxoptera citricida em citros

Methods of biological control of Phyllocnistis citrella in citrus are inefficient and chemical control is limited to a few options. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficiency of systemic insecticides to control Oncometopia facialis (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), and Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) in citrus plant. The tests was performed enclosing the insects on branches, using five adults of O. facialis per plants. The citrus leaf miner were assessed on three new branches per plant, and for aphids, the number of infested branches was quantified. The insecticides acephate Pellet 970, vamidothion CE 300, monocrotophos CE 400, acetamiprid PM e SL, and imidacloprid SL were efficient to control O. facialis, however with different residual periods, ranging from 12 to 104 days. Acetamiprid SL (1.0 g a.i./plant) and imidacloprid were the most efficient. All tested insecticides were efficient to control T. citricida and P. citrella, except acetamiprid PM (0.4 and 0.6 g a.i./plant). Acetamiprid and imidacloprid showed a period for citrus leaf miner control greater than 42 days.

O controle biológico de insetos vetores de Phyllocnistis citrella em citros tem se mostrado ineficiente e o uso de inseticidas apresenta poucas opções. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a eficiência de inseticidas sistêmicos, aplicados via tronco, no controle de Oncometopia facialis (Signoret) (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), Phyllocnistis citrella Staiton (Lepidoptera: Gracillaridae) e Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) em citros. A eficiência para O. facialis foi determinada pelo método de confinamento, utilizando-se 5 cigarrinhas adultas por repetição. Para P. citrella avaliou-se o número de folhas com lagartas em 3 ramos/planta e para T. citricida o número de ramos infestados. O acefate Pellet 970, vamidotion CE 300, monocrotofós CE 400, acetamipride PM e SL, e imidaclopride SL, nas doses testadas, controlam O. facialis, mas com períodos residuais variando de 12 a 104 dias, sendo os mais eficientes acetamipride SL (1,0 g i.a. por planta) e imidaclopride (1,0 g i.a. por planta). Os inseticidas acefate, vamidotion, monocrotofós, acetamipride e imidaclopride foram eficientes no controle de T. citricida e de P. citrella, com exceção de acetamipride PM nas doses de 0,4 e 0,6 g i.a. por planta. Acetamipride e imidaclopride apresentaram período de controle para P. citrella superior a 42 dias.