http://repositorio.ufgd.edu.br/jspui/handle/prefix/101 2026-10-15T06:37:55Z http://repositorio.ufgd.edu.br/jspui/handle/prefix/7134 Título: Biologia de Anastrepha grandis (Macquart 1846) (Diptera: Tephritidae) e manejo populacional com fungos entomopatogênicos Autor(es): Gimenez , Liz Maria Matilde Duarte Primeiro Orientador: Uchoa-Fernandes, Manoel AraéciO Abstract: Anastrepha grandis (Macquart, 1846) (Diptera: Tephritidae), commonly known as the South American cucurbit fly, is a major pest species in South and Central American countries, particularly in Brazil. This species is associated with significant losses in cucurbit crops and is considered a quarantine pest by several international markets. In light of the need for more sustainable and environmentally safe management strategies, this dissertation aimed to expand scientific knowledge on the biological and behavioral aspects of A. grandis, focusing on the prepupal and pupal stages, reproductive behavior, and susceptibility to entomopathogenic fungi for population reduction in the field. The dissertation is structured into four chapters. Chapter I provides a comprehensive review of the species’ geographic distribution, host plants, and population management strategies. Chapter II investigates the integrated effects of soil texture and moisture on the prepupal and pupal stages of A. grandis, assessing survival, pupation depth, development time, and adult emergence rates. Chapter III characterizes the reproductive parameters of the species, emphasizing sexual maturation of males and females, mating timing, copulation duration, and the sequence of behavioral actions. Finally, Chapter IV evaluates the infectivity of the entomopathogenic fungi Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae on adult A. grandis under laboratory conditions. The results obtained provide important insights into the biology and behavioral ecology of A. grandis and offer technical and scientific support for the development of integrated pest management programs based on environmentally sustainable population reduction practices. Editor: Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados Tipo: Dissertação 2025-11-06T00:00:00Z http://repositorio.ufgd.edu.br/jspui/handle/prefix/7133 Título: Identificação molecular de Trichospilus diatraeae, Palmistichus elaeisis, Tri chogramma pretiosum e caracterização de imaturos de Tetrastichus howardi (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) Autor(es): Palombo, Izabella de Lima Primeiro Orientador: Pastori, Patrik Luiz Abstract: Parasitoid wasps play a fundamental role in biological control. The pupal endoparasitoids Trichospilus diatraeae Cherian & Margabandhu, 1942, Palmistichus elaeisis Delvare & LaSalle, 1993, Tetrastichus howardi (Olliff, 1893) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), and the egg parasitoid Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879 (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) are widely used for the population control of lepidopteran pests. Differentiation among parasitoid strains may result in significant biological variations, such as changes in the life cycle and immature development. However, their morphological identification may be limited due to their small size and the high morphological similarity among species. Therefore, molecular approaches stand out as complementary tools for rapid and accurate identification, ensuring the safe and effective release of these biological control agents in the field. Our objective was to identify species-specific genomic variants of the target species T. diatraeae, P. elaeisis, T. howardi, and T. pretiosum through whole-genome sequencing, as well as to describe the larval development of two strains of T. howardi. Parasitoids were collected from their hosts and established in the laboratory after adult emergence. Samples of each species were sent to the Department of Biological Sciences at the Federal University of Espírito Santo (UFES) and to the Oscar Monte Entomophagous Insect Collection for morphological identification. Subsequently, samples composed of females of each parasitoid species were preserved in absolute ethanol and sent to Agropartners Consulting Company. DNA was extracted, quantified, and sequenced on the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform. Bioinformatic tools were used for data quality control, detection of species-specific genomic variants, principal component analysis (PCA), and support vector machine (SVM) classification. Genomic sequencing generated high quality data for the analyzed parasitoids, allowing the identification of four specific vari ants for T. diatraeae, four for P. elaeisis, two for T. howardi, and five for T. pretiosum. Additionally, the DO (Dourados) and LA (Ladário) strains of T. howardi were established under laboratory conditions, and females were exposed to Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) pupae for 24 h. Over a period of 20 days, parasitized pupae were collected daily, preserved, dissected, and photographed. Larval instars were determined through morphometric measurements of head capsule width, body length, and body width, followed by principal component analysis. Both strains exhibited three larval instars, with differences in immature developmental time. This study significantly contributes to the biological and molecular knowledge of parasitoids used in biological control programs by facilitating species identification in future collections and supporting the planning and monitoring of field populations. Editor: Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados Tipo: Dissertação 2025-07-17T00:00:00Z http://repositorio.ufgd.edu.br/jspui/handle/prefix/7089 Título: Epizootia do fungo entomopatogênico Moelleriella Bres. sp. sobre mosca-branca e cochonilha: primeiro registro, avaliação do potencial biológico e desenvolvimento in vitro Autor(es): Mesa, Natalia Elizabeth Soto Primeiro Orientador: Loureiro, Elisangela de Souza Abstract: The use of entomopathogenic fungi as biological control agents represents a sustainable alternative to the use of agrochemicals in agriculture. In this context, the genus Moelleriella (Clavicipitaceae, Hypocreales, Ascomycota) has been little studied, despite its potential for controlling insect pests, such as whiteflies and mealybugs, and its potential as an endophyte of associated plants. The present study aimed to evaluate the growth of colonies, conidial production, and germination of Moelleriella sp. in different culture media under laboratory conditions. To this end, the fungus was isolated from infected insects in a remnant of the Atlantic Forest in Brazil, morphologically identified, and cultured on five culture media (AN, MEA, SAB, BDA, and YEAST). Radial colony growth, conidial production, and germination percentage were evaluated. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey’s test (α = 0.05). The results showed significant differences among treatments, with the Yeast Extract (YEAST) medium standing out for promoting the highest mycelial growth, as well as the highest conidia production and germination (F₄,₄₀ = 71.22; p < 0.001). These results suggest that the nutritional composition of the medium, particularly its content of carbon and nitrogen sources, directly influences the physiological performance of the fungus. In conclusion, Moelleriella sp. shows high potential as a biological control agent, and the YEAST medium stands out as an efficient alternative for its production under laboratory conditions. This study provides relevant information for optimizing cultivation systems and lays the groundwork for future research aimed at its application in Integrated Pest Management programs. Editor: Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados Tipo: Dissertação 2026-04-20T00:00:00Z http://repositorio.ufgd.edu.br/jspui/handle/prefix/7088 Título: Seletividade de inseticidas (microbiológico e alternativo) à adultos de Chrysoperla externa (Hagen, 1861) (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) Autor(es): Almeida , Adner Wilian Fernandes de Primeiro Orientador: Silva , Rosilda Mara Mussury Franco Abstract: The intensification of insecticide use in maize (Zea mays L.) cultivation has increased the need to assess their compatibility with natural enemies used in integrated pest management (IPM). Chrysoperla externa (Hagen, 1861) is one of the main predators associated with maize in Brazil; however, most studies on selectivity focus on immature stages, and there is limited information available on the effects of phytosanitary products on adults. Based on a structured theoretical framework regarding the biology, development, and behavior of the species, this study aimed to experimentally evaluate the lethal and sublethal effects of different products used in maize pest management on adults of C. externa. Bioassays were conducted under controlled conditions using the ASPECLE system, with four treatments: acephate, Isaria fumosorosea, aqueous extract of Simarouba sp., and distilled water as control. Mortality was corrected using Abbott’s formula, and the products were classified according to IOBC/WPRS criteria, in addition to evaluating sublethal effects on survival and oviposition. Acephate caused total mortality and was classified as harmful (Class 4). Isaria fumosorosea exhibited a slightly harmful effect (Class 2), whereas the Simarouba sp. extract was considered harmless (Class 1), with survival and oviposition rates similar to those of the control. The results indicate that Chrysoperla externa is highly compatible with biological agents and plant extracts, reinforcing its potential as a biological control agent in maize and highlighting the importance of prioritizing selective inputs in IPM programs. Editor: Universidade Federal da Grande Dourados Tipo: Dissertação 2026-02-02T00:00:00Z