Bioassay Technique and Maintenance of Gyropsylla spegazziniana (Lizer, 1719) (Hemiptera: Psylloidea: Aphalaridae) in vitro Conditions

Abstract

Gyropsylla spegazziniana is one of the most important pest of yerba mate by sap-sucking that lead to leaves deformation and there are no insecticides registered for its control. The present study describes a new technique to be used in bioassays with the insect. Galls were collected from infested yerba mate plants. In the laboratory, the galls were partially opened and distributed in plastic containers. The emerged adults were transferred to plastic containers with the perforated bottom and a central opening in the lid, and subjected to spraying. After that, insects were transferred to yerba mate seedlings in plastic cages and maintained in laboratory to daily assessment. The use of a lid with central opening prevented the insects escaping, and avoiding the previous anesthetic to spraying. The mortality was less than 10% after 10 days. The technique was considered adequate for maintenance and performance of laboratory bioassays.

Biphasic production of the fungus Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. in an attract-and-infect device for control of the yerba mate ampoule Gyropsylla spegazziniana (Lizer & Trelles, 1919) (Hemiptera: Aphalaridae)

“…The bioinsecticidal activity of the conidia was evaluated in both types of devices using cage tests. An I. paraguariensis seedling and 15 adult G. spegazziniana were placed inside a cage (30 cm high × 12 cm diameter) with transparent plastic panels equipped with side openings (6 cm height × 5 cm length), a screened top for ventilation (Loeblein et al 2019). A single attract-and-infect device of either type was attached to the upper section of the test cage (Fig.…”

Using Sticky Card Traps to Evaluate Entomopathogen Fungi Occurrence in Insect Populations: A Cautionary Tale

“…Twenty G. spegazziniana adults were confined for 30 minutes in a plastic cup (Copaza Descartáveis Plásticos, Içara, Santa Catarina, Brazil) containing dry conidia of B. bassiana Unioeste 44. Afterwards, the psyllids were transferred to screened cylindrical cages (30 cm h × 12 cm d), each containing a yerba mate seedling (Loeblein et al 2019). The cages were maintained in a controlled environment room (26 ± 2 °C; 60 ± 10% RH; 12:12 h [L:D] photoperiod).…”