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The coconut mite, Aceria guerreronis Keifer (Acari: Eriophyidae), is a severe and ubiquitous pest of coconut plantations worldwide. Vegetable oils contain fatty acids that are active against a variety of agricultural pests; however, little is known about their efficiency in controlling A. guerreronis as well as their adverse effects on its natural enemies. Here, we assessed the chemical profile of palm oil as well as its toxicity and repellence to both A. guerreronis and Typhlodromus ornatus Denmark and Muma (Acari: Phytoseiidae), a natural enemy of the pest. Oleic, palmitic, and linoleic acids accounted for over 85% of palm oil fatty acid composition. Also, palm oil was approximately 4-fold more toxic to the coconut mite than to its predator. Furthermore, the lethal concentration percentage (LC) 50 and LC 99 of palm oil indicated greater activity against the coconut mite than to its predator. Therefore, by exhibiting higher toxicity and repellence to the coconut mite, with substantial selectivity to the predator T. ornatus, palm oil is a promising tool to be integrated in the control of A. guerreronis in coconut plantations.

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The aim of the present study was to identify Aleurodicus cocois resistant genotypes among fi ve dwarf cashew clones available in the germplasm bank of Embrapa/ Centro Nacional de Pesquisa Agroindústria Tropical. Free-choice and no-choice tests were applied in order to evaluate the relative attractiveness of the clones and the oviposition preferences, egg-to-adult development times and adult emergence rates of the pest. In comparison with other clones, PRO143/7 exhibited the lowest attraction to the whitefl y and was least preferred for oviposition in the free-choice test. Conversely, CCP76 attracted the highest number of A. cocois and was preferred for oviposition. In the no-choice test, the rates of emergence of adults from clones BRS274, CCP76 and PRO143/7 varied between 53.0 and 56.8%, values that were signifi cantly lower (p < 0.05) than those of clones BRS226 and EMBRAPA51, which were 72.34 and 75.16%, respectively. Some of the cashew clones tested showed antibiotic (CCP76, PRO143/7 and BRS274) and antixenotic (PRO143/7 and BRS226) resistance to A. cocois. These clones are good candidates for use in breeding programs of cashew.

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