A técnica do inseto estéril visa a indução de esterilidade em fêmeas selvagens por meio do acasalamento com machos estéreis liberados em grandes quantidades no ambiente. Os insetos liberados devem ser capazes de competir com os selvagens pela cópula com as fêmeas, fertilizar seus ovos e evitar que ela copule novamente. A recópula com machos selvagens pode interferir na eficiência da técnica por resultar em ovos férteis. Não é conhecido como a sequência de cópula-recópula com machos estéreis e/ou selvagens determina a fertilidade dos ovos na mosca-da-fruta, Ceratitis capitata (Wied., 1824) (Diptera: Tephritidae), nem as conseqüências deste comportamento, o que justificou o presente trabalho. Os experimentos foram realizados em laboratório, na Embrapa Semi-Árido, Petrolina-PE, sob condições ambientes de temperatura e umidade relativa, para determinar a influência do tipo e ordem das cópulas na indução de esterilidade, além de parâmetros do comportamento de recópula, como frequência recópula entre as fêmeas, número de cópulas for fêmea, tempo de cópula e recópula, período refratário e competitividade sexual dos machos. Foi também avaliada a interferência do tratamento aromático dos machos estéreis com óleo de gengibre sobre a recópula das fêmeas. A Biofábrica Moscamed Brasil, Juazeiro- BA forneceu os insetos estéreis, e os selvagens foram provenientes de pupas coletadas de frutos infestados em áreas frutícolas na região do Submédio do Vale do São Francisco. Na presença de machos estéreis e selvagens concorrendo pelas cópulas na proporção de 5 estéreis: 1 selvagem, 63% das fêmeas recopularam em média 3,37 vezes com curto período refratário entre a cópula e a primeira recópula. O tratamento dos machos com óleo de gengibre diminuiu significativamente a taxa de recópula. A aromaterapia dos machos não reduziu a fecundidade e nem conferiu aos machos vantagem da competição espermática, entretanto aumentou a indução de esterilidade em fêmeas selvagens que recopularam. O segundo macho a copular a fêmea apresentou maior vantagem reprodutiva em curto período refratário. Conclui-se que para que a técnica do inseto estéril seja eficiente, é necessário que haja sempre machos estéreis de boa qualidade no campo para recopularem as fêmeas em curto período refratário. / The sterile insect technique (SIT) aim at the induction of sterility in wild females by mating with sterile males released in great amounts in the field. These released males must compete with wild ones being able to attract and mate wild females, fertilize their eggs and avoid remating with a wild male that would lead to fertile eggs and consequently reduce the efficiency of the technique. The circumstances in which remating of Ceratitis capitata (Wied., 1824) (Diptera: Tephritidae) females interfere with the SIT, as well as the consequences of this behavior are not well known, what justified the present study. The experiments were carried out at the Embrapa Semi-Árido, Petrolina-PE, inside the laboratory under ambient conditions of temperature and relative humidity to determine the influence of the order of mating type in the induction of sterility. The parameters evaluated to better understand the remating behavior were remating frequency, number of matings per female, mating and remating time, refractory period, sexual competitiveness of males, and the interference of males aromatherapy with ginger root oil in the females remating. Moscamed facility, Juazeiro-BA, provided the sterile males and the wild ones were from pupae collected from infested fruits from commercial orchards in the São Francisco River Valley. In the presence of sterile and wild males in competition (5 sterile: 1wild), 63% of females remated in average 3.37 times in short refractory period between the mating and the first remating. The males aromatherapy with ginger root oil reduced significantly the remating rate, but did not reduce the fecundity, neither confer advantage to the males in the sperm competition, however increased the induction of sterility in wild females multiply mated. The second male to mate the female presented reproductive advantage if the refractory period was short. For the SIT be efficient the sterile males in the field must always have great quality to remate the females in a short refractory period and thus induce sterility in the wild population.

This work covers stages one through seven (of nine stages) of a classical biological control program for Mediterranean fruit fly (=medfly), Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann). Major research objectives concentrate on stage five (exploration and collection of natural enemies), and stage seven (testing and selecting natural enemies for additional work). Coffee was collected monthly from three locations in Kenya from November 1997 through July 1999. Four species of tephritid flies and ten parasitoid species were recovered. Four guilds of parasitoids were recorded, and two egg-prepupal endoparasitoids, Fopius caudatus (Szépligeti) and F. ceratitivorus (Wharton), were discovered. The oviposition behavior of these two species is contrasted. Domination of this tropical parasitoid assemblage by koinobionts is discussed relative to the dominance of temperate fruit-infesting tephritid systems by idiobionts. Fruit handling procedures were examined for impact on overall percent emergence and specifically percent emergence of flies versus parasitoids. It was determined that stirring samples had a significant positive effect on overall emergence, however daily misting of fruit did not. The only treatment without a significant bias in fly emergence over parasitoids was the stirred/dry treatment. Effects of these results on rearing procedures are discussed. Host specificity and host suitability of parasitoids reared from coffee were examined via: (1) association of parasitoids with host flies based on characteristics of the fly puparia from which parasitoids emerged, (2) rearing of cucurbit infesting tephritids and their parasitoids in Kenya, (3) rearing of flowerhead infesting tephritids and their parasitoids in Kenya and Hawaii, and (4) host range testing of Psyttalia species in Kenya and Hawaii. These results are discussed in terms of their utility for predicting nontarget effects. Psyttalia concolor (Szépligeti) was shipped to Hawaii and tested against the nontarget gall forming tephritid Procecidochares utilis Stone introduced to control the weed Ageretina adenophora (Maui pamakani). Psyttalia concolor failed to attack the gall-forming P. utilis both in choice and no-choice tests, but readily attacked tephritid larvae offered in fruit in choice tests. Recommendations for further testing and release of the parasitoids from Kenya are discussed for Hawaii and Latin America.

Differential gene expression plays a key role in developmental pathways within an organism. Examples of such pathways include primary sex determination signaling and the formation of secondary sexual characteristics. This dissertation is focused on the use of suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) to identify genes that are differentially expressed and involved in some aspect of sexual development in the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata. In the course ofthis project, a method for sexing individual specimens from pre-adult stages was developed. This method was used to collect sex-specific RNAs at different developmental stages for use in SSH. A total of25 subtraction products were obtained across all the stages examined. Analysis of these products revealed that approximately half were similar to cytoplasmic ribosomal proteins and mitochondrial ribosomal RNA The remaining products represent putative medfly homologs of other previously identified genes or potentially novel genes One ofthe subtraction products, representing a potentially novel gene, was characterized in detail. This gene, named mapotge', represents a novel medfly gene that appears to encode a polypeptide of 299 amino acids. The N-terminus of this polypeptide contains a BTB-POZ domain. This domain functions as a protein-protein interaction motif found in a wide range of organisms from humans to Drosophila that mediates protein dimerization and oligomerization. The temporal expression pattern of mapotge' was determined using RT-PCR and Northern blot analysis. These revealed that the transcript is expressed throughout embryogenesis in both females and males, and in adult females that are > 0.5 days post-eclosion. Minimal expression is observed in female and male third instar larvae, early pupae, and in adult males. Studies were also initiated to characterize the representation of additioual sequences containing a BTB-POZ domain in the medfly genome. This was performed using Southern blot analysis and degenerate primers for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). These results indicate the presence of at least three sequences in the medfly, in addition to 'mapotge', that contain a BTB-POZ domain. Potential evolutionary relationships ofthe BTB-POZ domain sequences from the medfly and other insect species were also analyzed.

Τα έντομα και άλλοι ποικιλόθερμοι οργανισμοί έχουν αναπτύξει διάφορους μοριακούς μηχανισμούς για την προστασία τους από ακραίες θερμοκρασίες και άλλες στρεσογόνες καταστάσεις που συμβαίνουν κατά τη διάρκεια της ζωής τους. Ένας από τους σημαντικότερους μηχανισμούς είναι η παραγωγή των θερμοεπαγόμενων πρωτεϊνών οι οποίες, ως μοριακοί συνοδοί, προστατεύουν τα κύτταρα από τη μετουσίωση και συσσωμάτωση των πρωτεϊνών τους. Πολλές από τις θερμοεπαγόμενες πρωτεΐνες συνθέτονται και σε φυσιολογικές συνθήκες και παίζουν σημαντικούς ρόλους στην ορθή αναδίπλωση, μεταφορά και αποικοδόμηση των πρωτεϊνών του κυττάρου. Το εργαστήριο μας ενδιαφέρεται για το ρόλο των θερμοεπαγόμενων πρωτεϊνών και τη ρύθμιση των γονιδίων τους στη Μεσογειακή μύγα. Τέσσερα θερμοεπαγόμενα γονίδια, hsp90, hsp70, hsp27 και hsp26, έχουν κλωνοποιηθεί και χαρακτηριστεί στο εργαστήριό μας. Στόχοι αυτής της μεταπτυχιακής εργασίας είναι α) η λειτουργική ανάλυση της 5’ ανοδικής περιοχής του γονιδίου hsp90 της Μεσογειακής μύγας και β) η έκφραση του γονιδίου σε συνθήκες ψυχρού στρες. Για να μελετήσουμε την ρύθμιση του γονιδίου hsp90, δημιουργήσαμε διαγονιδιακά στελέχη που έφεραν το γονίδιο της λουσιφεράσης (ως γονίδιο αναφοράς) υπό τον έλεγχο διαφορετικών 5’ περιοχών του γονιδίου hsp90. Η ανάλυση των στελεχών αυτών έδειξε ότι η ευρύτερη περιοχή του υποκινητή που εκτίνεται έως και το -3536 περιλαμβάνει όλα τα απαραίτητα στοιχεία για τη θερμοεπαγόμενη έκφραση του γονιδίου. Για να μελετήσουμε εάν η χαμηλή θερμοκρασία (0 oC) έχει κάποια επίδραση στη βιωσιμότητα του εντόμου και στην έκφραση του hsp90, ομάδες αρσενικών ενήλικων εντόμων επωάστηκαν για διαφόρους χρόνους στους 0 oC και ακολούθως μελετήθηκε η επιβίωσή τους και η έκφραση του θερμοεπαγόμενου γονιδίου με RT-PCR και qRT-PCR. Τα αποτελέσματά μας υποδηλώνουν ότι οι χαμηλές θερμοκρασίες αυξάνουν την έκφραση του hsp90 σχεδόν στα ίδια επίπεδα με εκείνα του θερμικού στρες. Επίσης η βιωσιμότητα των εντόμων βρέθηκε πολύ υψηλή στους 0 oC. / Insects and other poikilotherms have multiple molecular mechanisms for their protection from extreme environmental and other stressful conditions which happens during their life. One of these mechanisms is the production of heat shock proteins. These proteins, being molecular chaperones, protect the cells from protein denaturation and aggregation. Some of these proteins are produced under normal conditions, and they play important role in proper protein folding, transport and degradation. We are interested in the role of heat shock proteins and the regulation of their genes in Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly). Four heat shock genes have been cloned and characterized in our laboratory. These are hsp90, hsp70, hsp27 and hsp26. The aim of this master thesis is: a) to study the normal and heat-induced regulation of the medfly’s hsp90 gene and b) to study the expression of this gene under cold shock conditions. For the first aim we created transgenic flies which they had the lusiferase gene (as a reference gene) under the control of different 5’ upstream regions of hsp90 gene. The analysis of these transgenic strains showed that the region between the first transcription base pair and -3536 base pair is crucial for the expression of the gene under normal and heat shock conditions. In order to examine whether the low temperature (0 oC) has any effect in the medfly’s viability and the expression of hsp90 gene, male groups were exposed at different intervals at 0 oC and then it was examined the viability and the expression of the gene. Our results suggest that the low temperature increases the expression of hsp90 nearly to the same levels of the thermal stress and this temperature does not affect the viability of the insect.

A técnica do inseto estéril visa a indução de esterilidade em fêmeas selvagens por meio do acasalamento com machos estéreis liberados em grandes quantidades no ambiente. Os insetos liberados devem ser capazes de competir com os selvagens pela cópula com as fêmeas, fertilizar seus ovos e evitar que ela copule novamente. A recópula com machos selvagens pode interferir na eficiência da técnica por resultar em ovos férteis. Não é conhecido como a sequência de cópula-recópula com machos estéreis e/ou selvagens determina a fertilidade dos ovos na mosca-da-fruta, Ceratitis capitata (Wied., 1824) (Diptera: Tephritidae), nem as conseqüências deste comportamento, o que justificou o presente trabalho. Os experimentos foram realizados em laboratório, na Embrapa Semi-Árido, Petrolina-PE, sob condições ambientes de temperatura e umidade relativa, para determinar a influência do tipo e ordem das cópulas na indução de esterilidade, além de parâmetros do comportamento de recópula, como frequência recópula entre as fêmeas, número de cópulas for fêmea, tempo de cópula e recópula, período refratário e competitividade sexual dos machos. Foi também avaliada a interferência do tratamento aromático dos machos estéreis com óleo de gengibre sobre a recópula das fêmeas. A Biofábrica Moscamed Brasil, Juazeiro- BA forneceu os insetos estéreis, e os selvagens foram provenientes de pupas coletadas de frutos infestados em áreas frutícolas na região do Submédio do Vale do São Francisco. Na presença de machos estéreis e selvagens concorrendo pelas cópulas na proporção de 5 estéreis: 1 selvagem, 63% das fêmeas recopularam em média 3,37 vezes com curto período refratário entre a cópula e a primeira recópula. O tratamento dos machos com óleo de gengibre diminuiu significativamente a taxa de recópula. A aromaterapia dos machos não reduziu a fecundidade e nem conferiu aos machos vantagem da competição espermática, entretanto aumentou a indução de esterilidade em fêmeas selvagens que recopularam. O segundo macho a copular a fêmea apresentou maior vantagem reprodutiva em curto período refratário. Conclui-se que para que a técnica do inseto estéril seja eficiente, é necessário que haja sempre machos estéreis de boa qualidade no campo para recopularem as fêmeas em curto período refratário. / The sterile insect technique (SIT) aim at the induction of sterility in wild females by mating with sterile males released in great amounts in the field. These released males must compete with wild ones being able to attract and mate wild females, fertilize their eggs and avoid remating with a wild male that would lead to fertile eggs and consequently reduce the efficiency of the technique. The circumstances in which remating of Ceratitis capitata (Wied., 1824) (Diptera: Tephritidae) females interfere with the SIT, as well as the consequences of this behavior are not well known, what justified the present study. The experiments were carried out at the Embrapa Semi-Árido, Petrolina-PE, inside the laboratory under ambient conditions of temperature and relative humidity to determine the influence of the order of mating type in the induction of sterility. The parameters evaluated to better understand the remating behavior were remating frequency, number of matings per female, mating and remating time, refractory period, sexual competitiveness of males, and the interference of males aromatherapy with ginger root oil in the females remating. Moscamed facility, Juazeiro-BA, provided the sterile males and the wild ones were from pupae collected from infested fruits from commercial orchards in the São Francisco River Valley. In the presence of sterile and wild males in competition (5 sterile: 1wild), 63% of females remated in average 3.37 times in short refractory period between the mating and the first remating. The males aromatherapy with ginger root oil reduced significantly the remating rate, but did not reduce the fecundity, neither confer advantage to the males in the sperm competition, however increased the induction of sterility in wild females multiply mated. The second male to mate the female presented reproductive advantage if the refractory period was short. For the SIT be efficient the sterile males in the field must always have great quality to remate the females in a short refractory period and thus induce sterility in the wild population.

Orientadores: Benedito Carlos Benedetti, Adalton Raga, Perla Gómez Di Marco / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-17T18:23:01Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Vieira_StellaMariaJanuaria_D.pdf: 942200 bytes, checksum: f0c6adbea884bee20c024b9044a05cb9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: A goiaba é um fruto com boas características organolépticas e nutricionais, além de ter boa aceitação tanto para o consumo "in natura" como industrial. É, porém, bastante perecível após a colheita, daí decorrendo perdas significativas. Além disso, acaba destinada quase totalmente ao mercado interno, em virtude das barreiras fitossanitárias impostas por países importadores diante de problemas como a infestação por moscas-das-frutas. É exatamente no estudo dessa praga que se situa o objeto do presente trabalho, cuja realização obedeceu aos seguintes propósitos: 1) avaliar a eficiência dos métodos de controle de radiação "UVC"e "água quente", bem como a aplicação combinada de ambos, para o fim de promover a desinfestação de ovos de Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) (Diptera: Tephritidae) em goiabas 'Kumagai'; 2) avaliar a qualidade físico-química de goiabas 'Kumagai' submetidas aos tratamentos quarentenários. No que se refere ao método "água quente", o equipamento banho-maria Dubnoff existente em laboratório forneceu uma variação de temperatura de 0,5 ºC, sendo que as médias dos tempos de exposição, verificados em termopares inseridos a 5 mm, para as temperaturas avaliadas de 42,0 a 50,0 ºC (± 0,5) com intervalos de 1,0 ºC, foram menores que as médias dos tempos de exposição daqueles termopares inseridos no centro das goiabas para as mesmas temperaturas avaliadas. Em função desse aumento no tempo de imersão em altas temperaturas, foram observadas a presença de escaldaduras na casca das goiabas tratadas a 46,0; 47,0; 48,0; 49,0 e 50,0 ºC (± 0,5). Por sua vez, no que tange ao método por "UV-C", as lâmpadas utilizadas no equipamento de radiação possuíam comprimentos de onda predominantes de 254 nm (adequados, portanto, para o estudo de radiação UV-C) e a tela de aço (diâmetro da malha hexagonal: 6,0x 7,0 cm) foi o material escolhido para compor a prateleira central, distante 8 cm da fonte luminosa. Aplicados os métodos em questão, o que se observou nos testes "in vitro" foi que ampliação do tempo de imersão no tratamento hidrotérmico e a exposição a intensidades crescentes de radiação UV-C no tratamento por radiação conduziram a um aumento na mortalidade ovos de C. capitata; já quanto aos testes "in vivo", a conclusão, em relação ao método "água quente", foi a de que tratamentos a temperaturas de 46,0; 47,0; 48,0; 49,0 e 50,0 (± 0,5) ºC, com tempos de imersão de 0; 46; 36; 26; 16 e 12 minutos, respectivamente, são eficientes para a mortalidade de ovos de C. capitata (não tendo sido verificadas escaldaduras nas cascas das frutas às temperaturas avaliadas) e, em relação ao método "UV-C", verificou-se que a intensidade de 16,0 kJm-2 foi capaz de inativar 100% de ovos de C. capitata. Nos tratamentos combinados, foi observado efeito aditivo na mortalidade de ovos de C. capitata, sendo mais intensos nas combinações de 0,54 kJm-2 + 45,0 ± 0,5 ºC; 0,80 kJm-2 + 45,0 ± 0,5 ºC; 0,54 kJm-2 + 46,0 ± 0,5 ºC e 0,80 kJm-2 + 46,0 ± 0,5 ºC. Por fim, quanto à qualidade pós-colheita, a das goiabas submetidas aos tratamentos e armazenadas a 8,0 ± 0,2 ºC durante o período de armazenamento de 10 dias mostrou-se superior à das goiabas que tiveram aplicados os mesmos tratamentos e foram armazenadas a 22,0 ± 0,2 ºC / Abstract: Guava is a fruit that has good organoleptic and nutritional haracteristics, besides having a good acceptance as for consumption "in natura" as industrial. It is, however, a lot perishable after the harvest, and because of that there are countless losses to the producers. Besides it, the fruit is practically consumed in the internal market, because of the sanitary obstacles imposed by importing countries before matters as infestation by fruit flies. It is exactly in the study of this plague that is the object of this work whose achievement has obeyed the following steps: 1) evaluating the efficiency of hot water imersion, UV-C radiation methods, and the application in both, with the intention of promoting the not infestation of eggs of Ceratitis capitata (Wied.) (Diptera: Tephrittidae) in "Kumagai" guavas; 2) evaluating the physics-chemistry quality submitted to quarantine treatments. Mentioning to the method hot water, the double boiler Duboff equipment existing in the laboratory gives us a variation of temperature of 0,5 ºC, as for the average of times of expositions verified in pairs at 5 mm, for temperatures of 42,0 the 50,0 ºC (± 0,5) with intervals of 1,0 ºC was lower than the ones of the times in exposition in the center of guavas to the same temperatures. Due to this increase of the time of immersion in high temperatures, it was noticed the presence of burns on the treated guavas peel to 46,0; 47,0; 48,0; 49,0 and 50,0 ºC (± 0,5). By its shift, according to the UV-C method, the light bulbs used in the radiation equipment had 254 nm waves (proper to the study of radiation UV-C) and the steel screen (hexagonal mesh: 6,0 x 7,0 cm) was the chosen material to compose the central shelf, far 8 cm from the illuminated fountain. The used methods, what was noticed in the tests "in vitro" was that the amplification of the time of the immersion (in the hydrothermical) and the exposition to the increasing intensity of radiation UV-C (in the treatment by radiation) led to an increase in the mortality of eggs of C. capitata; according to the tests "in vivo" the conclusion in relation to the method hot water was that treatments to the temperatures 46,0; 47,0; 48,0; 49,0 e 50,0 ºC (± 0,5). With times of immersion of 46; 36; 26; 16 and 12 minutes, respectively, are efficient to the mortality of the eggs of C. capitata (not having being verified burns on the fruits peel to the evaluated temperatures) and, in relation to the method UV-C, it was noticed that the intensity of 16.0 kJm-2 was able to activate 100% of eggs of C. capitata. In the combined treatments, it was observed the adding effect in the mortality of eggs of C. capitata, being more intense in the combinations 0,54 kJm-2 + 45,0 ± 0,5 ºC; 0,80 kJm-2 + 45,0 ± 0,5 ºC; 0,54 kJm-2 + 46,0 ± 0,5 ºC e 0,80 kJm-2 + 46,0 ± 0,5 ºC. Finally according to the quality after the harvest, the guavas that were submitted to the treatment and stored to 8,0 ± 0,2 ºC during a period of 10 days were superior to the guavas that had the same treatments and were stored to 22,0 ± 0,2 ºC / Doutorado / Tecnologia Pós-Colheita / Doutor em Engenharia Agrícola

Thesis (DScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 1956. / Some digitised pages may appear illegible due to the condition of the original hard copy. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: no abstract available / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: geen opsomming

Submitted by Socorro Pontes (socorrop@ufersa.edu.br) on 2017-07-21T12:19:39Z No. of bitstreams: 1 BarbaraKAS_DISSERT.pdf: 1042554 bytes, checksum: 2b0b000896ea7eadfda8bd600ae94914 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Vanessa Christiane (referencia@ufersa.edu.br) on 2017-07-25T14:44:30Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 BarbaraKAS_DISSERT.pdf: 1042554 bytes, checksum: 2b0b000896ea7eadfda8bd600ae94914 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Vanessa Christiane (referencia@ufersa.edu.br) on 2017-07-25T14:44:38Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 BarbaraKAS_DISSERT.pdf: 1042554 bytes, checksum: 2b0b000896ea7eadfda8bd600ae94914 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-25T14:45:37Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 BarbaraKAS_DISSERT.pdf: 1042554 bytes, checksum: 2b0b000896ea7eadfda8bd600ae94914 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-02-24 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico / The production and export of tropical fruits in nature is one of the main agricultural activities of the Northeastern Brazilian region, which is characterized by the semiarid climate. However, the presence of pest insects, such as fruit flies, hampers the production and export in this fruit segment. The main species of fruit flies of economic and quarantine importance in Brazilian semiarid is Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae). The use of synthetic insecticides is still the most usual method for suppression of these populations. However, in the context of integrated production, the use of beneficial organisms is a desirable practice for a population decrease of these tefritídeos, featured the parasitoids. Although there is some information about the larval parasitoids of fruit flies in the semi-arid, there are practically no records of the occurrence of pupal parasitoids of C. capitata, in mentioned region. Therefore, the objective of this work was to verify if there are pupal parasitoids associated to C. capitata in the Brazilian semiarid. The survey was carried out in the municipality of Mossoró (RN), from May to September 2016. To obtain the parasitoids, pupae of C. capitata produced in the laboratory were exposed to natural parasitism in the field. In the surveys, four species of parasitoids were obtained, all belonging to the order Hymenoptera and family Pteromalidae: Spalangia simplex Perkins; Spalangia leiopleura Gibson; Spalangia impunctata Howard; and Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani), the latter being the most common species, with a natural parasitism index of 12.17%. These are the first reports of S. leiopleura and S. impunctata parasitizing pupae of C. capitata, in Brazil / A produção e exportação de frutas tropicais in natura é uma das principais atividades agrícolas da região nordeste brasileira, que se caracteriza por apresentar clima semiárido. No entanto, a presença de insetos-praga, como as moscas-das-frutas, dificulta a produção e exportação nesse segmento frutícola. A principal espécie de moscas-das-frutas de importância econômica e quarentenária presente no semiárido brasileiro é a Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae). O uso de inseticidas sintéticos ainda é o método mais usual para supressão dessas populações. Contudo, no contexto da produção integrada, a utilização de organismos benéficos é uma prática desejável para a diminuição populacional desses tefritídeos, com destaque aos parasitoides. Apesar de haver algumas informações sobre os parasitoides larvais de moscas-das-frutas no semiárido, praticamente não existem registros da ocorrência de parasitoides pupais de C. capitata na referida região. Portanto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar se existem parasitoides pupais associados a C. capitata no semiárido brasileiro. O levantamento foi realizado no município de Mossoró (RN), no período de maio a setembro de 2016. Para obtenção dos parasitoides, pupas de C. capitata produzidas em laboratório foram expostas ao parasitismo natural em campo. Nos levantamentos, foram obtidas quatro espécies de parasitoides pupais, todas pertencentes à ordem Hymenoptera e família Pteromalidae: Spalangia simplex Perkins; Spalangia leiopleura Gibson; Spalangia impunctata Howard; e Pachycrepoideus vindemmiae (Rondani), sendo esta última a espécie mais comum, com índice de parasitismo natural de 12,17%. Estes são os primeiros relatos de S. leiopleura e S. impunctata parasitando pupas de C. capitata, no Brasil / 2017-07-21

Os experimentos de campo foram realizados em 2002 e 2003 em três pomares no município de Monte Alegre do Sul, SP, representados por uma coleção de linhagens de goiabeiras (janeiro a abril), uma coleção de cultivares de nespereiras (agosto a setembro) e uma coleção de cultivares de pessegueiros (setembro a outubro). Nos ensaios de infestação, foram utilizadas três linhagens de goiaba (Guanabara, L7P28 e 252), duas cultivares de nêspera (Precoce Campinas e a Precoce 264-54) e três cultivares de pêssego (Aurora 2, Dourado 1 e Régis). Para a determinação do período de infestação, aplicou-se o processo de ensacamento e desensacamento quinzenal e semanal da goiaba e nêspera, respectivamente, e apenas o ensacamento semanal no pêssego. Cada experimento iniciou-se com os frutos ainda no início de seu desenvolvimento (frutos verdes). Para o processo de desensacamento, no início dos experimentos foram ensacados 500 e 400 frutos de goiaba e nêspera, respectivamente. Em cada ensaio, desde o início (frutos verdes pequenos) até a completa maturação, quinzenalmente (goiaba) ou semanalmente (nêspera e pêssego) foi ensacada/desensacada uma amostra de 30 frutos, os comprimentos e diâmetro eram mensurados e retirava-se amostras para realização das análises físico-químicas em laboratório. Após o completo amadurecimento, os frutos foram colhidos e levados ao laboratório, onde foram pesados, medidos os diâmetro e comprimento e depois acondicionados individualmente em copos plásticos com areia+vermiculita até aproximadamente a metade e cobertos com "voil" preso com fita elástica. Para o conhecimento da flutuação populacional das moscas, foram instaladas três armadilhas modelo McPhail com torula (atraente alimentar) em cada pomar, de janeiro/2002 a janeiro/2004. Das moscas-das-frutas originadas dos frutos, foram identificadas cinco espécies de tefritídeos e oito espécies de lonqueídeos. Os parasitóides emergidos foram das famílias Braconidae e Figitidae, representados por cinco espécies de cada uma. Ceratitis capitata apresentou comportamento sazonal com picos populacionais durante o segundo semestre. Verificou-se que a população de moscas-das-frutas (Anastrepha spp. e lonqueídeos) se mantém na área dos pomares (goiaba, nêspera e pêssego) durante o ano todo. Os três hospedeiros sofreram o ataque de moscas-das-frutas nos seus primeiros estádios de desenvolvimento, a partir de 2 cm de diâmetro. Ao longo do desenvolvimento, em todos os hospedeiros (goiaba, nêspera e pêssego), a infestação foi ascendente, apresentando as maiores elevações no final do amadurecimento. Os parâmetros físicos (tamanho, firmeza, brix e cor) mostraram-se mais confiáveis para o prognóstico da suscetibilidade do fruto ao ataque das moscas-das-frutas do que os parâmetros químicos (pH, acidez e umidade) para todos os hospedeiros. Os aspectos ecológicos da infestação dos frutos pela moscas-das-frutas e a relação tritrófica (parasitóide/mosca/fruto) foram discutidos. / Field experiments were conducted in three orchards in Monte Alegre do Sul, SP, each containing either a collection of strains of peach (September to October), guava (January to April) or loquat (August to September), during 2002 and 2003. Three strains of guava (Guanabara, L7P28 and 252), two of loquat (Precoce Campinas and Precoce 264-54) and three of peach (Aurora 2, Dourado 1 and Régis) were used for infestation assessment. Guava and loquat fruits were bagged and unbagged biweekly and weekly, respectively, for the assessment of the infestation period and only weekly for the peach. In all cases, fruits were bagged at the beginning of their development, while still green. A sample of 30 bagged fruits were unbagged weekly (loquat and peach) or biweekly (guava) until fruits were completely ripe, from a total of 500 (guava) and 400 (loquat) fruits. Fruits were measured and a sample was taken for physicochemical analysis. Fruits were harvested once they were ripe, taken to the laboratory, weighted and measured. They were placed into plastic cups half-filled with sand and covered with a fine fabric to allow for field-collected fly development. Three McPhail traps containing Torula yeast (food attractant) were hung from January/2002 to January/2004 to assess the population fluctuation of fruit flies in each orchard. Five tephritids and eight lonchaeids species emerged from field-collected fruits maintained in the lab. Five species each of braconid and figitid fruit fly parasitoids were also observed emerging from these fruits. Ceratitis capitata showed a sazonal behavior with population density peaking at the second semester. It was also observed that Anastrepha spp. and lonchaeids remained in the orchards throughout the year. All three host fruits larger than 2 cm in diameter were infested by fruit flies at the early stages of development. Fruit infestation increased in all orchards as fruit development occurred with the highest infestation level observed at the end of the ripening. Physical parameters, such as size, firmness, brix and color were more reliable in estimating fruit susceptibility to fruit-flies than the chemical parameters evaluated (pH, acidity and humidity) for all three host fruits. The ecological aspects of the infestation of fruits by fruit flies and the tritrophic interactions (parasitoid/fruit fly/fruit) were discussed.

A linhagem tsl (temperature sensitive lethal) - Vienna 8 da espécie Ceratitis capitata, por apresentar mutações que facilitam a criação e a liberação de apenas machos estéreis no campo, vem sendo utilizada em programas de controle da mosca-do-mediterrâneo com o uso da técnica do inseto estéril. O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a dose de radiação gama que proporciona o maior índice de esterilidade para machos da espécie C. capitata - linhagem tsl Vienna 8, avaliando seus parâmetros biológicos que indicam a qualidade dos machos estéreis a serem liberados. Pupas marrons (machos) da linhagem tsl, provenientes da criação do laboratório de Irradiação de Alimentos e Radioentomologia do CENA/USP, foram submetidas à radiação gama (60Co) 24 horas antes da emergência nas doses de 0, 30, 60, 90 e 120 Gy. A determinação da dose esterilizante foi baseada na fertilidade de fêmeas sexualmente maduras, da linhagem bissexual e não irradiadas, acasaladas com machos dos diferentes tratamentos. A coleta dos ovos foi realizada diariamente por 6 dias, sendo possível contabilizar e estimar a fecundidade, e obter a taxa de eclosão. A determinação da porcentagem de emergência e da capacidade de voo seguiram o protocolo de controle de qualidade do manual da FAO/IAEA/USDA (2003). Para avaliar a longevidade sob estresse nutricional, os insetos ficaram um período de 48h após a emergência na ausência de água e alimento, e após este período, a mortalidade foi registrada. O tamanho dos testículos (esquerdo e direito) foi obtido ao dissecar machos irradiados e não-irradiados no 8o dia de vida, e mensurar os testículos em uma ocular micrométrica, considerando os maiores comprimento e largura de cada amostra. Para determinar o número de espermatozoides foi necessário dissecar os machos e romper seus testículos. Não houve diferença na taxa de emergência, capacidade de voo e longevidade entre machos irradiados e não-irradiados, e nem na fecundidade das fêmeas acasaladas com os machos dos diferentes tratamentos. A dose esterilizante que resultou na menor fertilidade das fêmeas foi de 120 Gy, com 1,5% de eclosão. Considerando os parâmetros de porcentagem de emergência, capacidade de vôo, longevidade sob estresse, e a esterilidade recomendada para a técnica do inseto estéril que consiste em, aproximadamente, 99% dos ovos serem inviáveis, a dose esterilizante a ser utilizada é a de 120 Gy. O tamanho dos testículos e o número de espermatozoides foram afetados pela radiação, havendo diferença entre os tratamentos. Os machos irradiados com 120 Gy apresentaram uma redução de cerca de 25% no tamanho dos testículos, comparando com os do controle (0 Gy). Os testículos dos machos normais continham uma média de 41910 espermatozoides, e esse valor foi decrescendo ao aumentar a dose de radiação, de maneira que machos irradiados com 120 Gy tinham um número médio de 27921 espermatozoides, e isto, possibilita a recomendação do uso de macho transgênico para controle de C. capitata / The Vienna-8, tsl (temperature sensitive lethal) strain of Ceratitis capitata, by presenting mutations that facilitate the mass rearing and release only of sterile males in the field, has been used in medfly SIT (Sterile Insect Technique) programmes. The objective of this study was to determine the radiation dose that provides the highest level of sterility for Vienna-8, tsl males assessing their biological parameters that indicate the quality of sterile males to be released. Brown pupae (males) of the tsl strain were obtained from the mass rearing of the Food Irradiation and Radioentomologia laboratory of CENA/USP, and they were irradiated (with gamma radiation - 60Co) 24 hours before the emergence at rates of 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 Gy. The determination of the sterilizing dose was based on fertility of sexually mature females of the bisexual strain and not irradiated, mated with males of different treatments. Eggs were collected daily during 6 days, were counted and it was possible to estimate fecundity, and assess the hatching rate. The emergence and flight ability were determined by following the protocol of quality control manual for FAO/IAEA/USDA (2003). To assess the longevity under nutritional stress, the insects were kept a period of 48 h after emergence in the absence of water and food, and after this period, mortality was recorded. The size of the testes (left and right) was obtained by dissecting irradiated and non-irradiated males at the eighth day of life, and measure the testes in an ocular micrometer, considering the maximum length and width of each sample. To determine the sperm number was necessary to dissect the males and break their testicles. No difference was observed in emergence rate, flight ability and longevity of irradiated and non-irradiated males, nor in the fecundity of females mated with males of different treatments. The sterilizing dose that resulted in lower fertility of females was 120 Gy, with 1.5% hatching. Considering the parameters of emergence, flight ability, longevity under stress and sterility recommended for the sterile insect technique which consists of approximately 99%, the sterilizing dose to be used is 120 Gy. The size of the testes and the sperm number were affected by radiation. Males irradiated with 120 Gy presented a reduction about 25% in size of the testes, compared with the control (0 Gy). The testes of normal males contained an average of 41.910 sperm, and this value was decreased by increasing the dose of radiation, so that males irradiated with 120 Gy had a median of 27.921 sperm, and this allowed to recommend the use of GM male to control C. capitata