Biologia de Anastrepha grandis (Macquart 1846) (Diptera: Tephritidae) e manejo populacional com fungos entomopatogênicos

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.