Past and Current Strategies for the Control of Leaf-Cutting Ants in Brazil

Lúcia, Terezinha Maria Castro Della; Amaral, Karina D.

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-35143-4_3

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…Brazil is one of the most important wood producers in the world. Wood production represents the fourth largest crop when considered by area, consisting of mainly fast-growing monocultures, such as eucalyptus, pine, acacia, and teak [ 9 , 10 ]. However, leaf-cutting ants can cause serious damage to these plantations, especially at the sapling stage [ 11 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Production of Escovopsis weberi (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) Mycelial Pellets and Their Effects on Leaf-Cutting Ant Fungal Gardens

et al. 2023

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The maintenance of the symbiosis between leaf-cutting ants and their mutualistic fungus Leucoagaricus gongylophorus Singer (Moller) is vital for the survival of both species. The specialist fungal parasite Escovopsis weberi Muchovej & Della Lucia is a threat to this symbiosis, causing severe damage to the fungal garden. Mycelial pellets are resistant fungal structures that can be produced under laboratory conditions. These structures were studied for use in biological pest control, but the production of mycelial pellets has not previously been documented in Escovopsis. One of the aims of this study was to induce Escovopsis weberi to produce mycelial pellets and investigate the potential of these pellets for the control of leaf-cutting ants. We compared the pathogenicity of Escovopsis weberi mycelial pellets and conidia against mini-colonies of Acromyrmex subterraneus subterraneus Forel when applied in the form of baits. Worker ants were able to distinguish mycelial pellets from conidia, as baits with mycelial pellets were more attractive to workers than those with conidia, causing a greater negative impact on colony health. All types of baits containing Escovopsis weberi influenced the foraging activity but only treatments with viable fungal propagules resulted in an increase in the quantity of waste material, with a significant negative impact on the fungal garden biomass. The results provided novel information regarding Escovopsis recognition by worker ants and differences between conidia and mycelial pellet dynamics in leaf-cutting ant colonies, with new perspectives for the biological control of these important pests.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Production of Escovopsis weberi (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) Mycelial Pellets and Their Effects on Leaf-Cutting Ant Fungal Gardens

et al. 2023

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“…Coupled with the pressure to adopt more friendly and sustainable forms of production, research has been directed towards new, less environmental-impacting management strategies (Della Lucia & Amaral, 2020). Strategies that favor the occurrence of entomopathogens, predators, and parasitoids may enhance biological control and reduce the populations of leaf-cutting ants with less environmental impact (Britto et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research with parasitism on leafcutting ants is advancing, yet slowly (Della Lucia & Amaral, 2020). Phorids related to these leaf-cutting ants are known to belong to the genera Apocephalus Coquillett, 1901, Neodohrniphora Malloch, 1914, and Myrmosicarius Borgmeier, 1928 (Guillade, Goffre, & Folgarait, 2017).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parasitism and behavioral responses of Acromyrmex coronatus (Fabricius, 1804) and Acromyrmex crassispinus (Forel, 1909) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) to Myrmosicarius catharinensis Borgmeier, 1928 (Diptera: Phoridae) in Londrina, PR

Almeida

Hoshino

Menezes

et al. 2021

Semina: Ciênc. Agrár.

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Leaf-cutting ants of the genus Acromyrmex cause serious damage to cultivated forest areas. Some flies of the family Phoridae are known to parasitize them, and the result of this interaction can provide a promising basis for the management of these ants. This study was developed to record the parasitism and behavioral responses of Acromyrmex spp. leaf-cutting ants to parasitoid phorids in the municipality of Londrina-PR, Brazil. Visual examinations and collections of leaf-cutting ants and associated phorids were carried out between October/2019 and April/2020 in selected anthills and their trails, located on the campus of the State University of Londrina (UEL) and at the Botanical Garden of Londrina. The collected insects were preserved in 70% alcohol, for later identification of the species. The behavioral response of the ants to the parasitoids was recorded individually and collectively, following protocols cited in the literature. The frequencies of the different response behaviors exhibited by the attacked ants were compared using analysis of variance. The leaf-cutting ant species Acromyrmex coronatus and Acromyrmex crassispinus were found at the two evaluated sites. Myrmosicarius catharinensis was the only species of parasitoid phorid found, which attacked both ant species. Although the occurrence of M. catharinensis has been reported in other Brazilian states and its association with A. crassispinus recorded in Buenos Aires, Argentina, this is the first report of the occurrence of the phorid in the state of Paraná with a new association for the species A. coronatus. Under foraging action by the parasitoid, 63.5% of the ants exhibited only one behavioral response, while 36.5% showed two. Accelerated walking, attempting to “bite” the parasitoid, and adopting a ‘C’ posture were the most frequent behavioral responses to avoid parasitism. Ants crowding together around a worker and the presence of “hitchhiker” workers on the transported leaf fragments were the observed changes in collective behavior, the latter being the most frequent. These changes occurred in all observed ant nests and, in two of them, the constancy of alteration in collective behavior was 53%. These results demonstrate the interference caused in nests of Acromyrmex spp. by the occurrence of M. catharinensis, a potential control agent for this pest.

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“…Eucalyptus spp. can be attacked at all stages of the crop cycle; therefore, pest control is critical in both the preand post-planting phases [3]. Eucalyptus urophylla is one of the main species cultivated in Brazil [4], and several studies have demonstrated the susceptibility of E. urophylla to attack by different leaf-cutting ant species [5,6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Trichoderma strigosellum in Eucalyptus urophylla Development and Leaf-Cutting Ant Behavior

Batista

Silva

Nascimento

et al. 2021

JoF

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Fungal endophytes can protect plants against herbivory and be used to control leaf-cutting ants. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the potential of endophytic colonization of Eucalyptus urophylla by three filamentous fungal species and their influence on the plant development and foraging behavior of Atta sexdens. The study design was completely randomized and comprised a factorial scheme of 4 × 3, three antagonistic fungal species (Escovopsis sp., Metarhizium anisopliae, and Trichoderma strigosellum) of the leaf-cutting ant, and one control and three inoculation methods (conidial suspension via foliar spray [FS] and soil drench [SD] inoculation, and seedlings inoculated with mycelium [SWM]). The SWM method allowed T. strigosellum to colonize all plant organs, and these plants exhibited higher height, leaf number, shoot dry mass, and total dry mass than the ones subjected to the other inoculation methods. The SWM method increased the plant height than the control plants and those inoculated with Escovopsis sp. and M. anisopliae. Trichoderma strigosellum, previously isolated from soil, colonized E. urophylla plants and positively influenced their development, as demonstrated by the SWM method. Trichoderma strigosellum promoted the increase in E. urophylla height compared with when the FS and SD methods were used (by 19.62% and 18.52%, respectively). Our results reveal that A. sexdens workers preferentially began cutting the leaves from plants not previously colonized by T. strigosellum. This behavior can be explained by modifications in the phenotypic traits of the eucalyptus leaves.

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Past and Current Strategies for the Control of Leaf-Cutting Ants in Brazil

Cited by 4 publications

References 31 publications

Production of Escovopsis weberi (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) Mycelial Pellets and Their Effects on Leaf-Cutting Ant Fungal Gardens

Production of Escovopsis weberi (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) Mycelial Pellets and Their Effects on Leaf-Cutting Ant Fungal Gardens

Parasitism and behavioral responses of Acromyrmex coronatus (Fabricius, 1804) and Acromyrmex crassispinus (Forel, 1909) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) to Myrmosicarius catharinensis Borgmeier, 1928 (Diptera: Phoridae) in Londrina, PR

Effects of Trichoderma strigosellum in Eucalyptus urophylla Development and Leaf-Cutting Ant Behavior

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