The two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae) is the main pest encountered in strawberry cultivation in protected environments, causing damage and increasing the cost of production associated with chemical control. Breeding programs are essential for obtaining new cultivars that are more tolerant to two-spotted spider mites. The objective was to evaluate whether the leaf trichomes mediatethe resistance of intraspecific strawberry hybrids to two-spotted spider mites. Preselected hybrids were subjected to infestation by two-spotted spider mites and evaluated via the no-choice assay and the travel test. Resistance was correlated with the density of trichomes, both glandular and non-glandular, present on the surface of the leaflets of strawberry genotypes. The results indicated that there is an influence of hybrids and cultivars on the behavior of the pest, allowing the verification of the existence of resistant genotypes (RVDA#16, RVCS#44 and Camino Real). These treatments resulted in low numbers of eggs deposited and hatched compared with the other treatments and shorter distances traveled by two-spotted spider mites on the surface of leaflets. It was also verified that the glandular trichomes presented a significant negative correlation with the average distance traveled by two-spotted spider mites on the surface of the leaf discs, indicating that these structures alter the behavior of these arthropods. Genotype resistance was associated with the presence of glandular trichomes. In addition to the superiority of the agronomic and postharvest attributes of the preselected hybrids (RVDA#16 and RVCS#44) identified in the previous selection efforts, they proved to be promising materials for achieving resistance to the spider mite, revealing important genotypes for use as cultivars and particularly as parents in breeding programs.

This study reports for the first time the plant bug Microtechnites bractatus (Say) in Crotalaria juncea and Crotalaria spectabilis, in the state of Paraná, Brazil. We characterized the injuries caused by M. bractatus and Collaria scenica Stal in cultivated plants and in Crotalaria spp. Considering that M. bractatus damage has been incorrectly attributed to C. scenica, we present here a contribution to the correct characterization of these insect pests and their damage over some agricultural crops.

The garden fleahopper, Microtechnites bractatus (Say) (Hemiptera: Miridae), is associated with several cultivated plant species and, despite its economic importance, little is known about its development and performance in such hosts. We described here, the morphology of immature stages, and evaluated the biology of M. bractatus in beans, potatoes, white clover, alfalfa, and wheat. The bioassays were carried out in the laboratory under controlled temperature (25±2ºC), humidity (UR70±15%), and photoperiod (12L:12D). The eggs of M. bractatus are elongated and slightly curved, without respiratory projections and light yellow in color, becoming dark at the end of the incubation period. Nymphs present an oval-shaped body, a reddish color that intensifies along with the development and dimorphic wing pads in the fifth instar. In the bioassays, the host plants influenced the biological aspects of M. bractatus, both in the immature and adult stages. Nymph survival was higher in clover and alfalfa, while in wheat, it was lower. Clover-fed insects had the longest longevity. The fecundity parameters and egg viability were favored in insects that fed on clover and alfalfa. The fertility life table showed that feeding M. bractatus with clover provides a higher net reproduction rate (R 0 ) and a higher finite ratio of population increase (ʎ). This study contributes to bioecological and behavioral studies on M. bractatus and provides data for the recognition and characterization of individuals in the immature stage.