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Effect of azadirachtin on the control of Anticarsia gemmatalis and its impact on Trichogramma pretiosum

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Abstract

Anticarsia gemmatalis has great potential to reduce soybean productivity, and the egg parasitoid Trichogramma pretiosum is a major agent in the biological control of this pest in soybean fields. We show that azadirachtin is able to control velvetbean caterpillars in soybean plants and also that it has no effects on the parasitoid T. pretiosum. Soybean plants were sprayed with solutions containing control (water), 50 and 100 mg.l−1 of azadirachtin (AzaMax™ 12 g a.i.l−1). Third instar larvae of A. gemmatalis were confined to soybean plants after the spraying. Leaf consumption and larval mortality of A. gemmatalis were evaluated. Newly emerged females of T. pretiosum were placed for 24 h in tubes with a piece of cardboard containing the same doses of azadirachtin used against velvetbean caterpillars. After 24 h, cardboard with 20 eggs of A. gemmatalis was offered for parasitism during 24 h, and the emergence and sex ratio of progenies were determined. Azadirachtin at 50 or 100 mg.l−1 reduced leaf consumption and caused 100% mortality in A. gemmatalis larva. Azadirachtin did not negatively affect the parasitism, emergence or sex ratio of the progeny. This indicates that the product can be used with mass release of T. pretiosum to control A. gemmatalis.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES), Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) and Dr. Florindo Orsi (DVA Company) for providing AzaMax™ used in the experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36.570-000, Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

    G. D. Almeida

  2. Departamento de Biologia Animal, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36.570-000, Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

    J. C. Zanuncio & G. S. Andrade

  3. Departamento de Produção Vegetal, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, 29.500-000, Alegre, Espírito Santo State, Brazil

    D. Pratissoli

  4. Departamento de Estatística, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36.570-000, Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

    P. R. Cecon

  5. Departamento de Biologia Geral, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36.570-000, Viçosa, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

    J. E. Serrão

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  1. G. D. Almeida
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  2. J. C. Zanuncio
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  3. D. Pratissoli
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  4. G. S. Andrade
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Correspondence to G. D. Almeida.

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Almeida, G.D., Zanuncio, J.C., Pratissoli, D. et al. Effect of azadirachtin on the control of Anticarsia gemmatalis and its impact on Trichogramma pretiosum . Phytoparasitica 38, 413–419 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12600-010-0124-6

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