The fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), is a major pest of maize and frequently demands control measures. The timing of insecticide application is a key factor in determining its efficiency, so an experiment was designed to investigate this. Application of insecticide was based on three criteria: (i) the number of trap-caught moths in a Delta-type trap with a commercial sex pheromone lure placed in the center of the target area, soon after plant emergence; (ii) the percentage of plants exhibiting pinhole-type damage (10% or 20%), and (iii) the percentage of plants exhibiting shot hole-type damage (10% or 20%) compared to a check plot without any control measures. We found that the number of trap-caught moths was, compared to the other methods, the2 best means of deciding on insecticide application in maize to control the fall armyworm. Using pheromone traps, we obtained the best performance of the insecticide Spinosad, causing >90% larval mortality. Without insecticide application, maize yield reduction due to fall armyworm larva damage was 39%.

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Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is a polyphagous species frequently associated with the presence of sooty mold and viruses lethal to plants. The purpose of this work was to characterize possible resistance categories of cotton genotypes against A. gossypii. Initially, a preliminary test was carried out with 78 genotypes, 15 of which were selected for infestation ability assays and the determination of the cumulative aphid-day rates. Posteriorly, these genotypes were also evaluated through antixenosis and antibiosis assays. The genotypes FM 910, FM 966 LL, Mocó, Gossypium hirsutum var. punctatum L. (Malvaceae), Variedade Reba = BTK-12, Deltapine, Hi-Bred, Acala 4–42, IAC PV010-1664, IAC 21, Reba B-50 PR and FMT 709 inhibited the aphid colonization. In the infestation ability assay, G. hirsutum punctatum, IAC PV010-1664 and Acala 4–42 were the least infested. In a multiple-choice assay, Deltapine Smooth Leaf and Variedade Reba = BTK-12 were significantly less infested, suggesting antixenosis. In the antibiosis assay, Gossypium arboreum L. (Malvaceae) 1 showed the lowest number of nymphs, number of nymphs per adult per day and, number of nymphs at 10 d after the birth of the first nymph in addition to reducing the reproductive period, nymphal survival, adult longevity and, developmental time. In the FM 910, the number of nymphs produced per day and, at 10 d after the birth of the first nymph decreased, which also indicated resistance. The results obtained here are unprecedented and can be explored in breeding programs to develop insect-resistant cotton cultivars.

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Diabrotica speciosa is considered one of the most important agricultural pests in Latin America. Attacks various plant species including fructiferous, vegetable, cucurbit, dicotyledonous, and gramineous crops. The goal of this work was to evaluate the influence of different host plants, offered during the larval and adult stages of D. speciosa on their development, reproductive capacity, and foliar consumption. The insects were reared with corn in the larval stage and offered common bean, corn, soybean, forage turnip and wheat in the adult phase. In another essay, the larvae were reared with bean, soybean, forage turnip, corn, wheat, potato and adult stage offered only leaves of common beans to the insects. The insects reared with corn and fed on common bean leaves in the adult phase produced bigger numbers of eggs in contrast to the insects fed on other host plants. The longevity of adult specimens and the oviposition period were greater when adults of D. speciosa were fed on soybean, forage turnip, and common bean leaves, but these parameters were reduced in the insects fed on corn and wheat leaves. The viability of D. speciosa during the immature stage was greater when the larvae were fed with potato tubers or corn seedlings. However, the larvae reared on potato tubers exhibited a longer development period in contrast to larvae fed on other plants. In the foliar consumption tests, common bean leaves were preferred by adult of D. speciosa in contrast to other plants (soybean, corn and forage turnip) offered under free-choice conditions. On the other hand, in confinement conditions, common bean was preferred by insects when compared to turnip or corn leaves. The results showed that corn was the best food for the larval development of D. speciosa while common bean represented the most suitable host for the adults.

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the potential damage of the green-belly stink bug, Dichelops melacanthus, to corn in greenhouse and field conditions. Three trials were carried out. In the greenhouse, corn plants in the V1 stage were evaluated after each of them was infested with one insect in four developmental stages (nymphs of the third, fourth, and fifth instars and adults) during 14 days. In the field, corn plants in four developmental stages (V1, V3, V5, and V7) were infested inside cages with five adult stink bugs, also during 14 days. In another trial in the greenhouse, the same treatments of the field trial were conducted during 14 days, but with an infestation intensity of one bug per plant per pot. The control treatment was without infestation. In all trials, damage scores were attributed to the corn plants and the dry matter of the aerial part of the plants was determined. In the field, stem diameter and grain yield were also evaluated. Third-instar nymphs do not cause significant changes in the dry weight of the aerial part of the plant and in the damage scores, compared with the control treatment. Infestations by adult stink bugs cause more damage to corn plants in the V1 and V3 stages, both in field and greenhouse conditions.

The silverleaf whitefly Bemisia tabaci biotype B is one of the most important sucking pests of common bean, which causes severe damages and requires frequently synthetic insecticides spraying to protect crop productivity. The use of common bean cultivars resistant to whitefly attack is an important strategy within an integrated pest management (IPM) program. The biological development of B. tabaci confined to 17 bean genotypes was evaluated in greenhouse trials to verify the occurrence of antibiosis. Whitefly adults were released on plants of these genotypes to oviposit, afterward the incubation period of eggs, nymphal period, complete development period (egg-adult), and viability of the silverleaf whitefly nymphs were recorded. As main results, genotype CHIP 300 prolonged the developmental period from egg to adult (~10 days) and BRS Estilo, Arcelina 4, IPR Garça, Tybatã, CHIP 300, IPR Eldorado, H96A102-1-1-1-52, SCS-202-Guará and CHIB 06 caused nymphal mortality, suggesting high levels of antibiosis and/or antixenosis. These genotypes may be helpful in common bean breeding programs aimed at developing commercial cultivars resistant to B. tabaci biotype B.

Bioassays to evaluate the selectivity of pesticides to beneficial organisms are important tools to discriminate products compatible with biological pest control programs. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the main insecticides used in the soybean crop on the egg parasitoid Ooencyrtus submetallicus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae). The tested treatments (active ingredients) were: methomyl, lambda-cyhalothrin + thiamethoxam, beta-cyfluthrin + imidacloprid, novaluron and teflubenzuron, in the highest doses indicated by the manufacturer for the soybean crop, and a control treatment (water). The evaluations enabled to calculate the mortality and parasitism capacity of adults exposed to the pesticides, in addition to the sex ratio of their descendants. Methomyl and lambda-cyhalothrin + thiamethoxam were classified as Class 4 (harmful), beta-cyfluthrin + imidacloprid as Class 3 (moderately harmful), and novaluron and teflubenzuron as Class 1 (harmless). The products classified as Class 3 and Class 4 should, as much as possible, be replaced by insecticides selective to O. submetallicus.