ABSTRACT The spittlebug Mahanarva fimbriolata (Stål) (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) is one of the most important pests of sugarcane in Brazil. Measures for population control are currently restricted to the use of chemical insecticides and fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, in part because very little information exists regarding resistance of sugarcane cultivars. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate resistance mechanisms of 12 different sugarcane cultivars to M. fimbriolata to provide information for growers for pest management. Isolated buds of each cultivar were planted in pots and kept in a greenhouse for approximately three months. The pots were then moved to climate test chambers (26 ± 1 ºC; 70 ± 10 % relative humidity; 12 h photoperiod) to carry out laboratory tests to evaluate adult feeding and female oviposition preferences (using both free-choice and no-choice tests) as well as the effects of cultivars on nymph development and cultivars tolerance to pest attack. The least attractive cultivars for adult feeding were IACSP96-2042 and IAC91-1099. Cultivars IACSP96-2042, IACSP96-3060 and IACSP94-2101 received the fewest eggs in the free-choice and no-choice oviposition tests and exhibited some level of antixenosis resistance. Cultivar IAC91-1099 showed the highest level of antibiosis resistance with a nymph survival rate in the roots of only 20 %. Finally, cultivar IACSP94-2094 appears to be tolerant to M. fimbriolata, as it did not show significant reductions in aboveground biomass weight, despite showing reduced leaf chlorophyll levels following pest attack.

RESUMO A destruição dos restos culturais do algodoeiro, ao final do ciclo de cultivo, é uma estratégia fundamental no manejo fitossanitário da cultura, já que a sua rebrota, no período de entressafra, pode oferecer sítios de alimentação e de oviposição para pragas como o bicudo-do-algodoeiro. Este trabalho objetivou avaliar a capacidade de rebrota de cultivares de algodoeiro, bem como sua infestação por Anthonomus grandis. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental em blocos casualizados, em esquema fatorial 3 x 2, com três cultivares (FM 910, DeltaOPAL e NuOPAL), duas alturas de roçagem (10 cm e 20 cm) e quatro repetições. Foram realizadas avaliações semanais da porcentagem de rebrota das plantas nas duas alturas de roçagem, número de botões florais, porcentagem de botões florais infestados pelo bicudo e número de adultos por rebrota. Plantas roçadas a 10 cm de altura apresentaram menor capacidade de brotação e, consequentemente, de emissão de botões florais, reduzindo a densidade populacional do bicudo na área, enquanto plantas roçadas a 20 cm apresentaram altos índices de rebrota, aos sete dias após a roçada. A cultivar FM 910 apresentou o maior número de plantas rebrotadas e, para a cultivar DeltaOPAL, registrou-se o maior número de botões florais e adultos por planta, bem como a maior porcentagem de botões com danos causados pelo bicudo-do-algodoeiro.

ABSTRACT The destruction of cotton crop residues at the end of the crop cycle is a key strategy for the phytosanitary crop management, since its off-season re-sprout can provide sites for feeding and oviposition of pests such as the boll weevil. This study aimed to evaluate the re-sprout capacity of cotton cultivars, as well as their infestation by Anthonomus grandis. A randomized blocks design, in a 3 x 2 factorial arrangement, with three cultivars (FM 910, DeltaOPAL and NuOPAL), two mowing heights (10 cm and 20 cm) and four replications, was used. Weekly evaluations were carried out for measuring the percentage of plant re-sprout for both mowing heights, percentage of flower buds infested by the boll weevil and number of adults per re-sprout. Plants mowed at 10 cm presented a lower sprout capacity and consequently less flower buds, reducing the boll weevil population density in the area, while plants mowed at 20 cm showed high re-sprouts rates, seven days after mowing. The FM 910 cultivar had the highest number of re-sprout plants, while the DeltaOPAL cultivar showed the highest number of flower buds and adults per plant, as well as the highest percentage of buds damaged by the boll weevil.