Publications by authors named "Alessandra M Vacari"

Green lacewings are valuable predators, utilized in augmentative biological control against various agricultural pests. However, further studies are required to comprehend the performance of these predators when consuming natural prey. We investigated the capacity of (Hagen) to utilize the following three distinct prey types: the pupae of the coffee leaf miner (Guérin-Mèneville & Perrottet), the eggs of the sugarcane borer (F.

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is considered the main pest of cabbage in Brazil and the world, causing damage of up to 100%. Thus, this study evaluated the insecticidal activity of extracts obtained from the fruits, seeds, bark, leaves, and flowers of against the diamondback moth, larvae. The seed extract showed the highest mortality (97.

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Article Synopsis
  • Green lacewings in Brazil are important predators for controlling the coffee leaf miner pest, which affects coffee crops.
  • Laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the effectiveness of three lacewing species (Chrysoperla externa, Ceraeochrysa cincta, and Ceraeochrysa cornuta) on different developmental stages of the leaf miner (larvae and pupae).
  • The results indicated that all three lacewing species displayed a similar functional response in terms of attack rates and handling times, suggesting they could be viable options for biological control, but field studies are needed to verify these findings.
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The use of renal biopsy through laparoscopy is increasingly present both in human and veterinary medicine. However, both techniques require skill and training to make the operator capable to do it. The learning curve allows the quantitative and qualitative assessment of the number of attempts and minimum time for the surgical procedure.

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  • The avocado seed moth Stenoma catenifer is a damaging pest for avocados, particularly in the neotropics, yet its distribution within a tree is not well understood.
  • Researchers studied how canopy height and the side of the tree affect fruit infestation in three organic avocado orchards in São Paulo, Brazil.
  • Results showed that infestation was highest at the top of the trees and on the eastern side, while ground fruit had lower infestation levels, providing insights to improve pest management strategies.
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The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus, 1758), is one of the main pests of brassicas, and various insecticides, such as indoxacarb, are used to control it. However, frequent insecticide applications favor the selection of resistant individuals. Thus, the residual and sublethal effects of indoxacarb in two populations of P.

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Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a polyphagous pest with a wide geographic distribution. This pest first arrived in Brazil in 2013, and since then studies on possible control methods for it have been necessary. A possible method for the control of H.

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Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) is an important pest of crops worldwide, and several studies have focused on the development of this species on different artificial diets. However, studies evaluating the insect's food consumption and utilization using nutritionally different diets are scarce. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biology and to compare the consumption and use of food by H.

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The study of the technical and economic aspects of rearing natural enemies is essential for its effective use as a biological control agent in the field. The aim of this study was to determine the cost of production of the parasitoid, Telenomus remus (Nixon; Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), reared in eggs of its natural host, Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E.

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Although the parasitoid Cotesia flavipes (Cameron) has proven effective in controlling sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius) for many years, concern has arisen over the quality of individuals produced at large scales. The parasitoid has been reared in laboratories in Brazil for more than 40 years, with no new introductions of new populations during that period. Since the quality of the parasitoids was not verified at the time of the species' introduction in Brazil, we do not know if there has been any reduction in quality so far.

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In Brazil, the parasitoid Cotesia flavipes (Cameron) has been used as a biological control agent against Diatraea saccharalis (F.) since 1976, because of its effectiveness in reducing populations of this pest. Three million plastic cups are used annually to release C.

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Background: The use of Trichogramma species is a potential key strategy in integrated pest management. However, its effectiveness depends on the use of chemicals that do not interfere with parasitism and parasite population growth. Here, a study was made of the effects of synthetic insecticides on Trichogramma pretiosum and Trichogramma exiguum in different hosts (Ephestia kuehniella, Plutella xylostella and Spodoptera frugiperda) and the influence of International Organisation for Biological Control (IOBC/WPRS) methodology in selectivity studies using different Trichogramma species.

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