Com a descoberta do huanglongbing (HLB, ex-greening) no Brasil, em 2004, o psilídeoasiático-dos-citros, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), assumiu o status de praga-chave na citricultura pela sua capacidade de transmitir bactérias do gênero Candidatus Liberibacter spp., associadas a esta enfermidade. Por ser uma espécie exótica e de importância recente, há poucas informações sobre a biologia e ecologia desse psilídeo nas condições do Brasil, as quais são necessárias para o seu manejo. Portanto, este artigo busca compilar dados disponíveis sobre danos, dinâmica populacional e biologia de D. citri, com ênfase na influência de plantas hospedeiras, temperatura e umidade relativa do ar no seu desenvolvimento (duração e viabilidade dos estágios de ovo e ninfal), razão sexual e fecundidade. São descritos métodos alternativos de controle D. citri, com destaque para o controle biológico e a utilização do ectoparasitoide Tamarixia radiata (Waterston). Com base nas exigências térmicas deste parasitoide e de D. citri, elaborou-se o zoneamento ecológico para prever o número de gerações anuais de ambas as espécies no estado de São Paulo. Finalmente, são discutidos os mecanismos de transmissão de Ca. Liberibacter spp. por D. citri, baseando-se nas informações disponíveis sobre a interação patógeno-vetor. Termos de indexação: greening dos citros, inseto vetor, biologia, controle biológico, mecanismos de transmissão.

Resumo -O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a biologia de Stenoma catenifer em diferentes temperaturas, determinar suas exigências térmicas, estimar o número de gerações para o Município de São Tomás de Aquino, MG e comprovar o modelo em campo. Para a determinação da duração, viabilidade, fecundidade, longevidade e exigências térmicas, criaram-se insetos em sementes de abacate cultivar Breda, em diferentes temperaturas, umidade relativa de 70±10% e fotófase de 14 horas. A duração das fases de desenvolvimento e do ciclo biológico (ovo-adulto) foi afetada pela temperatura, tendo sido maior nas temperaturas mais baixas; a viabilidade foi maior na faixa térmica de 18 o C a 28 o C. O limiar térmico inferior de desenvolvimento (Tb) e a constante térmica (K) para as fases de ovo, lagarta, pupa e período ovo-adulto foram de 9,1ºC e 82,3 GD; 8,3ºC e 398,4 GD; 10,1ºC e 164,7 GD e 8,9ºC e 644,5 GD, respectivamente. A temperatura influenciou a capacidade de postura e a longevidade de machos e fêmeas. Com base nas normais térmicas, os números de gerações anuais e por ciclo de produção de abacate foram de 7,8 e 5,1, respectivamente. A flutuação populacional de S. catenifer pode ser utilizada como um indicativo do número de gerações, baseada nas exigências térmicas da praga.Termos para indexação: Insecta, Lepidoptera, Elachistidae, broca-do-abacate, abacate. Temperature requirements, estimate of the generations number of Stenoma catenifer and verification of the model in the fieldAbstract -The objective of this work was to study the biology of Stenoma catenifer under different temperatures, determine its temperature requirements, estimate the number of generations for the city of São Tomás de Aquino, MG, and verify the model in the field. In order to determine duration, viability, fecundity, longevity, and temperature requirements, the insects were reared on cultivar Breda avocado seeds at different temperatures, under 70±10% relative humidity and a 14-hour photophase. Developmental stages and biological cycle (egg-adult) durations were affected by temperature, with higher values at lower temperatures, while viability was highest at temperature ranging from 18 o C to 28 o C. The lowest temperature development threshold (Tb), and thermal constant (K) for the egg, caterpillar, and pupal stages, and for the egg-adult period were 9.1ºC and 82.3 GD, 8.3ºC and 398.4 GD, 10.1ºC and 164.7 GD, and 8.9ºC and 644.5 GD, respectively. Temperature influenced the egg-laying capacity and longevity of females and males. Based on the normal values of temperature, the numbers of generations per year and per production cycle were 7.8 and 5.1, respectively. The population fluctuation of S. catenifer can be used as an indicator of the number of generations, based on temperature requirements of the pest.

The genus Diabrotica has over 400 described species, the majority of them neotropical. However, only three species of neotropical Diabrotica are considered agricultural pests: D. speciosa, D. balteata, and D. viridula. D. speciosa and D. balteata are polyphagous both as adults and during the larval stage. D. viridula are stenophagous during the larval stage, feeding essentially on maize roots, and polyphagous as adults. The larvae of the three species are pests on maize, but D. speciosa larvae also feed on potatoes and peanuts, while D. balteata larvae feed on beans and peanuts. None of these species express a winter/dry season egg diapause, displaying instead several continuous, latitude-mediated generations per year. This hinders the use of crop rotation as a management tool, although early planting can help in the temperate regions of the distribution of D. speciosa. The parasitoids of adults, Celatoria bosqi and Centistes gasseni, do not exert much control on Diabrotica populations, or show potential for inundative biocontrol plans. Management options are limited to insecticide applications and Bt genetically modified (GM) maize. Other techniques that show promise are products using Beauveria bassiana and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, semiochemical attractants for monitoring purposes or as toxic baits, and plant resistance.

Chrysoperla externa and Coleomegilla quadrifasciata are important biological control agents in peach orchards. However, orchard management with these predatory insects is viable only by using selective agrochemicals. The objective of this study is to evaluate the toxicity of nine agrochemicals used in peach orchards in larval and adult stages of the C. externa and C. quadrifasciata in laboratory conditions. The bioassays followed the methodologies proposed by the International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control (IOBC). Larvae and adults of C. externa and C. quadrifasciata were exposed to the dry residues of these products. Lethal and sublethal effects were evaluated in bioassays with the larval and adult stages of both predators. The agrochemicals were classified according to the IOBC guidelines. The insecticide chlorantraniliprole was harmless (class 1) to the larval stage of C. externa and C. quadrifasciata. Azadirachtin, copper 25% + calcium 10%, and deltamethrin were harmless to the adult stage of both insect species. The organophosphates fenitrothion and malathion were harmful (class 4) to both species in the larval and adult stages and should not be used in peach orchards. Therefore, this study demonstrates the importance of toxicity and the lethal and sublethal effects of these agrochemicals to better determine their compatibility with IPM in peach production.

Cerotoma arcuatus Olivier is a polyphagous pest of legumes [soybean, Glycine max (L.); dry beans, Phaseolus vulgaris (L.); and cowpeas, Vigna unguiculata (L.)], all of which are considered important protein sources for humans and domestic animals. Studies on the biology and temperature requirements of C. arcuatus were made under laboratory and field (cage) conditions. In the laboratory, insects were reared on soybean plants in incubators held at 18, 20, 22, 25, 28, 30, or 32 degrees C, 70 +/- 10% RH, and a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D) h. A degree-days (DD) model developed based on the incubator data were validated in the field based on air and soil temperatures. The duration of the egg, larva-to-adult, and egg-to-adult period was inversely correlated with the temperature within the range of 18-32 degrees C, with the highest viability found from 20 to 30 degrees C. The temperature threshold for development and the thermal constant for the egg phase and the larva-to-adult periods were 13.6 degrees C and 106.7 DD, 8.3 degrees C and 399.4 DD, and 10.7 degrees C and 489.0 DD, respectively. The DD model for the egg-to-adult period, calculated using constant temperatures in the laboratory, was found to be valid for populations of C. arcuatus in the field, based on the fluctuating air and soil temperatures, although air temperatures provided more precise predictions. These data provide support for the rational control of this pest through population predictions based on their temperature requirements.