ABSTRACT The importance of in-vitro tests using larvae and adults of the tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus in investigating new inputs for its biological control serves as a basis for continuation of field experiments. This article presents in-vitro efficacy data on the fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum (IBCB 130) tested using larvae and engorged females of the tick R. microplus according to modified techniques of SHAW (1966) and MONTEIRO (2014). The efficacy results from the tests on engorged females ranged from 99.6 at the highest concentration used (2x109 conidia/mL) to 51% at the lowest concentration (1x107 conidia/mL). The 50, 90 and 99% lethal concentrations found in the tests on larvae were, respectively, 5.1x108, 5.2x109, and 3.3x1011 conidia/mL. The results from this investigation have enabled field experiments to control the tick R. microplus using the IBCB 130 isolate of the fungus P. lilacinum.

RESUMO: Visando incrementar a atividade do fungo Beauveria bassiana Unioeste 44 contra adultos da ampola-da-erva-mate (Gyropsylla spegazziniana), avaliou-se a associação do fungo com adjuvantes Aureo® e Assist®, para calda de aplicação. Os bioensaios foram relizados em contato direto e residual sobre insetos. Foram também avaliados in vitro os efeitos sobre alguns parâmetros biológicos do fungo. A associação fungo + adjuvantes resultou em mortalidade de 65 e 75%, sem diferença entre eles, porém, significativamente maior que a obtida com o fungo isoladamente. A mortalidade no contato residual foi menor, mas também houve vantagem na associação com adjuvantes, principalmente Assist® (48%), em relação ao Áureo® (16%). A conidiogênese nos cadáveres não foi afetada pelos adjuvantes no tratamento de contato direto. Contudo, houve incremento na conidiogênese no tratamento de associação com Assist® no contato residual. Apesar de afetarem a germinação e o crescimento do fungo, os adjuvantes foram considerados compatíveis com o fungo. Além da eficiência da associação, ambos adjuvantes não causaram fitotoxidade para a erva-mate, representando vantagens do seu uso no manejo da ampola.

ABSTRACT: Aiming to increase the activity of the fungus Beauveria bassiana (Unioeste 44) against adults of Gyropsylla spegazziniana, the combination of the fungus with adjuvants Aureo® and Assist® was evaluated for application. The bioassays were carried out in direct and residual contact with insects on yerba mate seedlings. The effects on some biological parameters of the fungus were also evaluated in vitro. The combination of the fungus and the adjuvants in direct contact resulted in mortality rates of 65 and 75% (Aureo® and Assist®, respectively), with no difference between them; however, the mortality rate was greater than that obtained with the fungus alone (47 %) (P < 0.05). Mortality from residual contact was lower, but the association with adjuvant Assist® (48%) compared to Aureo® (16%) was still advantageous. Conidiogenesis in cadavers was not affected by adjuvants in the treatment by direct contact. However, in residual contact, conidiogenesis increased with the Assist® addition. Despite affecting the germination and growth of the fungus, the adjuvants were considered compatible. In addition to the efficiency of their combination, neither adjuvant caused phytotoxicity to yerba mate seedlings, representing advantages of its use in G. spegazziniana population management.

ABSTRACT Coffee is the most appreciated beverage in worldwide; Brazil is the largest producer and exporter of this commodity. Organochlorine endosulfan was banned from the country in 2013 due to its teratogenic agent-related features. Since then, coffee plantations have experienced increased Hypothenemus hampei infestation rates. The aim of the current study is to assess variations in the rates of Coffea arabica fruits brocaded by H. hampei after the application of entomopathogenic fungal species Beauveria bassiana IBCB66. Experiments were carried out with ‘Catuaí’ and ‘Mundo Novo’ cultivars between 2018 and 2020, during the borer transit period. Three experiments were carried out based on the application of the aforementioned fungal species on the investigated coffee plant species, both by spraying and sprinkling, at 30-day intervals; 10 fruits were collected per face of each useful plant in each repetition. The experiment has followed a randomized blocks design with five treatments, including the control, and five repetitions, each. Beauveria bassiana Ecobass (IBCB66) wettable powder spray, at the concentration of 2 × 1013·ha–1, was used in experiments I and II. On the other hand, the mix used in experiment III was prepared with blastospores at concentration of 5 × 1012·ha–1 blastospores + 0.1% Silwet. The sprinkling process in all three experiments has used dry aerial conidia at concentration of 2 × 1013·ha–1. Collected data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA), which was followed by Fisher’s test at 5% probability level, in the SISVAR software. More than 35,000 fruits were assessed. In addition to variations between experiments, results have evidenced that the rate of brocaded fruits remained high.

RESUMO: A citricultura brasileira lidera mundialmente a produção de suco concentrado de laranja. A presença da mosca-negra-dos-citros Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) em pomares citrícolas brasileiros tem gerado problemas ao agronegócio, devido aos danos e medidas inadequadas de controle. O controle natural por ação de fungos entomopatogênicos é comum em regiões com alta precipitação, sendo esses agentes importantes componentes do manejo integrado. O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar fungos entomopatogênicos associados à mosca-negra-dos-citros na região Sul do estado da Bahia. Foram coletadas folhas de laranjeira (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) e de lima-Tahiti (Citrus latifolia Tann.) infestadas com ovos, ninfas e pupários da mosca-negra-dos-citros em pomares nos municípios de Ilhéus e Laje, Bahia. Fragmentos de colônias dos fungos foram desinfetados com álcool 70% e hipoclorito de sódio a 2% e, posteriormente, com água destilada. Após secagem, o material foi colocado em placas de Petri com BDA e cloranfenicol, em seguida alocadas em câmaras climatizadas do tipo BOD (27 ± 2 ºC, 12 horas de fotofase) até a produção de esporos. Após o isolamento, os fungos foram recolocados em placas de Petri com BDA, as quais ficaram sob luz fluorescente contínua durante 30 dias para estimular o crescimento e a produção de esporos. Isolados dos fungos obtidos foram preservados em tubos de ensaio contendo BDA e óleo mineral, e armazenados a 18 ºC em câmara climatizada. Os fungos entomopatogênicos associados à mosca-negra-dos-citros na região Sul da Bahia foram Aschersonia cf. aleyrodis Webber e Aegerita webberi Fawcett.

ABSTRACT: The Brazilian citrus industry is the world leading producer of concentrated orange juice. The presence of citrus blackfly Aleurocanthus woglumi Ashby (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) in Brazilian citrus orchards has led to agribusiness problems due to damages and inadequate control measures. Entomopathogenic fungi act as natural control in high precipitation regions, being important components of integrated management. The objective of this work was to identify entomopathogenic fungi associated with citrus blackfly in the southern region of the state of Bahia. Orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) and Tahiti lime (Citrus latifolia Tann.) leaves infested with citrus blackfly eggs, nymphs and pupae were collected in orchards in the municipalities of Ilhéus and Laje, Bahia, Brazil. Fragments of fungi colonies were disinfected with 70% alcohol and 2% sodium hypochlorite, and then washed with distilled water. After drying, the material was placed in Petri dishes with PDA and chloramphenicol, which were placed in bio-oxygen demand (BOD) incubators (27 ± 2 ºC, 12-hour photophase) until spore production. After isolation, the fungi were replaced in PDA Petri dishes and kept under continuous fluorescent light for 30 days to stimulate growth and spore production. The fungi isolates were preserved in test tubes containing PDA and mineral oil, and then stored at 18 ºC in a refrigerated incubator. Entomopathogenic fungi Aschersonia cf. aleyrodis Webber and Aegerita webberi Fawcett were associated with citrus blackfly in Southern Bahia.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os meios de cultura líquidos para a produção de Metarhizium anisopliae (IBCB 425) e Beauveria bassiana (IBCB 66), bem como a tolerância desses propágulos à ação dos raios ultravioleta e à temperatura. Foram avaliados 12 tratamentos compostos pelas combinações entre carbono e nitrogênio. Para determinar o efeito da radiação ultravioleta, placas com blastósporos foram expostas à radiação por 25 e 50 segundos. Para conhecer o efeito da temperatura, os blastósporos de meios de cultura foram expostos a temperaturas de 20, 25, 30 e 35°. Para os experimentos de virulência, as lagartas Diatraea saccharalis foram pulverizadas com 2mL de suspensão fúngica, com o auxílio de uma torre de Potter. Os melhores meios para M. anisopliae são 16,00 g (carbono) + 7,00 g (nitrogênio) e 14,40 g (carbono) + 7,00 g (nitrogênio), e para B. bassiana, 20,00 g (carbono) + 6,30 g (nitrogênio) e 20,00 g (carbono) + 7,00 g (nitrogênio). Quanto mais tempo de exposição à radiação ultravioleta, menor o número de colônias. Aos 35°, há uma diminuição signifcativa na formação de colônias. Os propágulos produzidos pelos fungos são patogênicos a D. saccharalis.

The purpose of this paper was to evaluate the liquid culture media for the production of Metarhizium anisopliae (IBCB 425) and Beauveria bassiana (IBCB 66), as well as the tolerance of these seedlings to the ultraviolet action and to the temperature. Twelve treatments composed of combinations between carbon and nitrogen concentrations were assessed. In order to determine the effect of ultraviolet radiation, plates with blastos-pores were exposed to it for 25 and 50 seconds. To determine the temperature efect, blastospores from culture media were exposed to 20, 25, 30 and 35°. For the virulence experiments, caterpillars of Diatraea saccharalis were sprayed with 2 mL of fungal suspension with the aid of a Potter tower. Te best media for M. anisopliae are 16.00 g (carbon) + 7.00 g (nitrogen) and 14.40 g (carbon) + 7.00 g (nitrogen), whereas for B. bassiana: 20.00 g (carbon) + 6.30 g (nitrogen) and 20.00 g (carbon) + 7.00 g (nitrogen). Te longer the exposure to ultraviolet radiation, the smaller the number of colonies. At 35°, there is a significant decrease in the formation of colonies. Te produced seedlings of fungi are pathogenic to D. saccharalis.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a patogenicidade de Beauveria bassiana a ninfas de Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) e verificar a compatibilidade do fungo com produtos fitossanitários e sua persistência em plantas de citros. Ninfas de D. citri foram pulverizadas com B. bassiana, nas concentrações 5x10(6), 1x10(7), 5x10(7), 1x10(8), 5x10(8) e 1x10(9) conídios mL-1, para determinação da concentração letal. Para avaliação da compatibilidade do fungo com produtos fitossanitários, extrato de nim e cinco inseticidas de quatro grupos químicos diferentes foram incorporados individualmente ao meio de cultura BDA em que o fungo foi cultivado. Avaliaram-se o crescimento vegetativo, a esporulação e a viabilidade do entomopatógeno. Plantas de citros, mantidas em casa de vegetação, foram tratadas primeiramente com os produtos fitossanitários e depois com o entomopatógeno. Avaliaram-se os tempos de exposição de 24 horas e de 7 e 14 dias. O fungo foi patogênico às ninfas de D. citri; a CL50 foi de 0,4x10(7) e a CL90 de 6,7x10(7) conidios mL-1, no décimo dia de avaliação. Em laboratório, os produtos fitosssanitários reduzem o crescimento do fungo. Em casa de vegetação, os produtos não afetam a sobrevivência do fungo nas plantas de citros.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the pathogenicity of Beauveria bassiana to Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) nymphs, and to check the compatibility of the fungus with phytosanitary products, and its persistence in citrus plants. Nymphs of D. citri were sprayed with B. bassiana in the concentrations 5x10(6), 1x10(7), 5x10(7), 1x10(8), 5x10(8) and 1x10(9) conidia mL-1 for lethal concentration determination. In order to evaluate the compatibility of the phytosanitary products with the fungus, neem extract and five insecticides of four different chemical groups were individually added to PDA culture medium, in which the fungus was cultivated. Vegetative growth, sporulation and viability of the entomopathogen were evaluated. In the greenhouse, citrus plants were first treated with the phytosanitary products and, then, with the pathogen. Exposure times of 24 hours, 7 and 14 days were evaluated. Fungus pathogenicity to D. citri nymphs was confirmed; LC50 of 0.4 x10(7) and LC90 of 6.7 x10(7) conidia mL-1 were determined at the tenth day of evaluation. In the laboratory, the phytosanitary products reduced fungus growth. In greenhouse, the products did not affect fungus survival on citrus plants.