In South Africa, the genus Eucalyptus plays an important role as a plantation tree and hence forms a major economic component in the forest sector. An insect pest of these Eucalyptus species, Gonipterus scutellatus, causes periodic defoliation in the plantations. Plants have extraordinary array of chemicals (secondary metabolites), which defend them from herbivores. This study reports on the seasonal variation of the tannin concentration and carbohydrate content of the leaves of nine Eucalyptus species. Soluble tannins were quantified using Hagerman test and the carbohydrate content with a refractometer. Generally high tannin concentrations were observed during spring and late summer with low concentrations during autumn and winter. During the months of February, April, July tannin concentration was usually found to be higher than the carbohydrate content. The higher concentration of tannin could be linked to the allocation of carbon for the production of tannin instead of carbohydrates for growth. / Dissertation (MInst Agrar)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Zoology and Entomology / unrestricted

The water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms-Laub (Pontederiaceae)) biological control programme makes use of tight plant-insect interactions to control the weed, by reestablishing the interactions between the plant and its natural enemies. Since the beginning of the water hyacinth biological control initiative, the impact of biological control agent herbivory on water hyacinth’s population growth and fitness have been well documented; however, very few investigations have been conducted to determine whether herbivory elicits insect-induced responses by water hyacinth. Studies were conducted to determine the presence and function of water hyacinth insectinduced responses, using the plant activator, BION®, in attempt to determine the plant hormone-mediated pathways regulating the final expressions of insect-induced defences in response to herbivory by the phloem-feeder, Eccritotarsus catarinensis (Carvalho) (Hemiptera: Miridae) and the leaf chewer, Neochetina bruchi Hustache (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). BION® (Syngenta, acibensolar-S-methyl (benzothiadiazole)) is a dissolvable, granular formulation that contains a chemical analogue of the plant hormone, salicylic acid (SA), which typically regulates defences against pathogens. The application of BION® results in the induction of the SA-mediated defence pathways in plants (activation of defences against pathogens), and consequently the inhibition of the jasmonic acid (JA)- mediated defence pathways (de-activation of defences against insect herbivores). To test for induced defence responses in water hyacinth, plants treated with BION® and then subjected to herbivory, were compared to un-treated plants that were also subjected to herbivory, BION®-only treated plants and control plants. The application of BION® did not confer resistance against the two insect herbivores, as herbivory, reductions in chlorophyll content and plant growth (leaf production and second petiole lengths) significantly increased in comparison to non-BION® treated plants. Furthermore, palatability indices significantly increased (>1.00) in BION® treated plants, reflecting increased weevil preferences for SAinduced water hyacinth plants. This concluded that SA-mediated defences are not effective against insect herbivory in water hyacinth plants, but are in fact palatable to insect herbivores, which reflects ecological and physiological costs of SA-mediated defences (pathogen defences) in water hyacinth. Biochemical analyses of leaves exhibited increases in nitrogen content in BION® treated plants. These elevated levels of nitrogenous compounds account for the increases in mirid and weevil preferences for BION® treated plants. The increases in nitrogenous compounds are probably structural proteins (e.g. peroxidises), because leaves treated with BION® increased in toughness, but only when exposed to herbivory. Regardless, insect herbivory was elevated on these leaves, probably because the nitrogenous compounds were nutritionally viable for the insects.

The common maize weevil, Sitophilus zeamais Motschulsky (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a well known pest of stored-maize grain in most parts of the world, was identified as one of the major constraints of harvested maize grains in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa. The use of plants or their products is one of the recent methods being investigated for insect pest control worldwide. Therefore, the main aim of the present study was to identify available plants in the Eastern Cape that could be used to combat the problem of Sitophilus zeamais in stored-maize grains. For the realization of the aims of this research, the following studies were carried out; a preliminary survey was conducted to obtain baseline information on the farmers’ knowledge and experience of indigenous insect pest control methods in the Eastern Cape. Also, studies on the insecticidal potential of the essential oils of some plants were investigated against the maize weevil. The quality parameters of maize grains treated with the essential oils was also studied and, using a rat model, the toxicity of the essential oils was investigated. The outcome from this study revealed that there is awareness amongst the farmers in the Eastern Cape on the use of plants or their products to control insect pests. Unfortunately, such methods are currently being neglected and the knowledge of their application was found to be eroding. Among the various essential oils screened were those from Mentha longifolia L. and Tagetes minuta L. which evoked an appreciable level of contact, fumigant and repellent toxicity on the maize weevil. Further work done to determine the effects of the oils on maize stored over a period of three months revealed that the two oils had no adverse effect on the proximate compositions and some quality parameters of the stored maize. However, the toxicological study conducted on rats showed that the oils at tested concentrations exhibited some level of toxicity. It is, therefore, suggested that the essential oils of M. longifolia and T. minuta should not be used to treat maize grains intended for human consumption.

abstract: Weevils are one of the most diverse groups of animals with thousands of species suspected to remain undiscovered. The Conoderinae Schoenherr, 1833 are no exception, being especially diverse and unknown in the Neotropics where they are recognizable for their unique behaviors and color patterns among weevils. Despite these peculiarities, the group has received little attention from researchers in the past century, with almost nothing known about their evolution. This dissertation presents a series of three studies that begin to elucidate the evolutionary history of these bizarre and fascinating weevils, commencing with an overview of their biology and classificatory history (Chapter 1). Chapter 2 presents the first formal cladistic analysis on the group to redefine the New World tribes Lechriopini Lacordaire, 1865 and Zygopini, Lacordaire, 1865. An analysis of 75 taxa (65 ingroup) with 75 morphological characters yielded six equally parsimonious trees and synapomorphies that are used to reconstitute the tribes, resulting in the transfer of sixteen genera from the Zygopini to the Lechriopini and four generic transfers out of the Lechriopini to elsewhere in the Conoderinae. Chapter 3 constitutes a taxonomic revision of the genus Trichodocerus Chevrolat, 1879, the sole genus in the tribe Trichodocerini Champion, 1906, which has had an uncertain phylogenetic placement in the Curculionidae but has most recently been treated in the Conoderinae. In addition to redescriptions of the three previously described species placed in the genus, twenty-four species are newly described and an identification key is provided for all recognized species groups and species. Chapter 4 quantitatively tests the similarity in color pattern among species hypothesized to belong to several different mimicry complexes. The patterns of 160 species of conoderine weevils were evaluated for 15 categorical and continuous characters. Non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) is used to visualize similarity by the proximity of individual species and clusters of species assigned to a mimicry complex in ordination space with clusters being statistically tested using permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA). / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Evolutionary Biology 2019

Title of the diploma´s thesis: Habitat characteristics weevils in beech and spruce forest ecosystems Moravian-Silesian Beskydy In forest ecosystems Moravskoslezské Beskydy was conducted from 2007 to 2015 collection epigeic fauna using ground traps. Trapping took place at 6-week inter-vals from May to October. Family (Curculionidae) was evaluated in beech spruce stands using faunistic index in relation to the basic typological units which are forest vegetation zones (LVS), edaphic category (EK), forest type (SLT) and ecotope conditions such as soil type, soil chemistry, humus form and composition of the herb layer. Incidence was compared of Curculionidae in selected nature reserves in silviculture stands. Total were captured 26,743 individuals of Curculionidae amount of 52 species. Eudominant species are Otiorhynchus carinatopunctatus, Plinthus tischeri, Otiorhynchus tenebricosus, Rhinomias forticornis and Strophosoma melanogrammum. In Beskydy they were captured rare species Barynotus moerens and Barypeithes mollicomus. It was found continuity of some species of Curculionidae on forest vegetation zones (LVS), edaphic categories (EK) and continuity some species of Curcilionidae on soil attribute.

Submitted by Johnny Rodrigues (johnnyrodrigues@ufcg.edu.br) on 2018-06-30T13:08:52Z No. of bitstreams: 1 ELVIRA BEZERRA PESSOA - DISSERTAÇÃO PPGEA 2004..pdf: 25315444 bytes, checksum: 5be953c0f57dcad2cd5d4fb9e7795cdb (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-06-30T13:08:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 ELVIRA BEZERRA PESSOA - DISSERTAÇÃO PPGEA 2004..pdf: 25315444 bytes, checksum: 5be953c0f57dcad2cd5d4fb9e7795cdb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2004-04 / Dentre as pragas associadas às sementes e grãos armazenados no Brasil, o gorgulho, Sitophilus zeamais, destaca-se como um dos principais responsáveis na queda da produção, devido as perdas e danos provocado por este inseto praga. Com bases nessas considerações e dentro de um alinhamento ecológico, realizou-se o presente trabalho, objetivando avaliar a eficácia de sete extratos vegetais, com propriedades inseticidas, no controle do inseto na fase imatura (ovo) e a mortalidade do inseto adulto. Os extratos hidroálcoolicos foram obtidos pelo método de extração a frio por percolação. Os trabalhos foram realizados no Laboratório de Armazenamento e Processamento de Produtos Agrícolas do DEAg da UFCG e no Laboratório de Farmacotécnica (LF) do Departamento de Farmácia e Biologia do CCBS da UEPB, ambos sediados em Campina Grande, PB. Inicialmente, realizou-se a multiplicação do inseto a partir de exemplares coletados em grãos armazenados. Posteriormente, foram aplicados, pelo método do vapor, aos insetos adultos contidos em recipientes plásticos na dose estabelecida para cada tratamento (4, 8, 12 e 16 ml). Em uma segunda fase, selecionou-se os quatros melhores extratos e as duas doses que mataram os insetos adultos na primeira fase, os quais foram levados aos carunchos, previamente inoculados em uma massa de milho pipoca, pelo método do vapor e diretamente sobre as sementes, que depois de homogeneizadas eram secas a sombra por 24 horas. Em uma terceira etapa, testou-se os dois melhores extratos, aplicados diretamente sobre as sementes de milho pipoca, contendo ovos do S. zeamais, na dose de 16 ml, para a avaliação da eficácia dos mesmos sobre a emergência do inseto depois de 40 dias da instalação dos ensaios. Em um quarto experimento, avaliou-se o efeito desses mesmos extratos e dose, empregados na etapa anterior, sobre a eficácia dos mesmos no controle do S. zeamais e seus efeitos na germinação, teor de umidade e sementes infestadas. Tendo sido constatado, mediante os resultados de cada bioensaio, que os insetos adultos de Sitophilus zeamais são controlados igualmente com os extratos de Citrus cinensis (98,62%), Cymbopogon citratus (97,87%) e Nicotiana tabacum (96,50%), em todas as doses testadas e aplicadas pelo método do vapor. Os extratos de Nicotiana tabacum e Cymbopogon citratus, demonstraram ação ovicida, controlando esta fase imatura do gorgulho em 96,55 e 95,07%, respectivamente, e que a qualidade fisiológica da semente de milho pipoca não foi afetada pelos extratos, durante o período de armazenamento. / Among the pests associated with seeds and grains stored in Brazil, the weevil, Sitophilus zeamais, stands out as one of the main responsible in the fall of the production, due to the losses and damages caused by this insect pest. Based on these considerations and within an ecological alignment, the present work was carried out, aiming to evaluate the efficacy of seven plant extracts, with insecticidal properties, in the control of the insect in the immature phase (egg) and adult insect mortality. The hydroalcoholic extracts were obtained by the cold extraction method by percolation. The work was carried out at the Laboratory of Storage and Processing of Agricultural Products of the DEAg of the UFCG and in the Laboratory of Pharmacotechnics (LF) of the Department of Pharmacy and Biology of CCBS of UEPB, both based in Campina Grande, PB. Initially, the insect multiplication was performed from specimens collected in stored grains. Subsequently, they were applied by the steam method to adult insects contained in plastic containers at the dose established for each treatment (4, 8, 12 and 16 ml). In a second phase, the four best extracts were selected and the two doses that killed the adult insects in the first phase were selected, which were then fed to the weevils previously inoculated in a popcorn mass by the steam method and directly on the seeds , which after homogenates were dried in the shade for 24 hours. In a third step, the two best extracts were applied directly to the seeds of popcorn, containing eggs of S. zeamais, in the dose of 16 ml, for the evaluation of their efficacy on the emergence of the insect after 40 days of installation of the tests. In a fourth experiment, the effect of these same extracts and dose, employed in the previous stage, on the efficacy of the same in the control of S. zeamais and its effects on germination, moisture content and infested seeds were evaluated. It was observed that adult insects of Sitophilus zeamais are also controlled with extracts of Citrus cinensis (98.62%), Cymbopogon citratus (97.87%) and Nicotiana tabacum (96.50% ), at all doses tested and applied by the steam method. The extracts of Nicotiana tabacum and Cymbopogon citratus demonstrated ovicidal action, controlling this immature stage of the weevil in 96.55 and 95.07%, respectively, and that the physiological quality of the seed of popcorn corn was not affected by the extracts during the period of storage.

In spruce-fir forests, there are many biotic and abiotic disturbances that can alter stand structure and composition. Many of these disturbances can produce high percentages of tree mortality at different scales. Spruce beetle has been considered a devastating disturbance agent, capable of creating high levels of mortality that will alter fuel complexes that may affect fire behavior. For comparison, stand data were gathered in endemic (near Loa and Moab, UT), epidemic (near Loa and Fairview, UT), and post-epidemic (near Salina and Loa, UT) condition classes of spruce beetle activity. Generally, fine fuels were higher during the epidemic and returned to background levels during post-epidemic conditions. Also, herbaceous and shrub components increase following outbreak situations with an initial pulse of herbaceous material during epidemics followed by the expansion of shrub material in post-epidemic areas. Fuel bed bulk depth, large diameter woody material, sound and rotten, and duff did not significantly differ between spruce beetle condition classes. Available live canopy fuel, canopy bulk density, and canopy base height were significantly reduced from endemic when compared to epidemic and post-epidemic condition classes. The fuel complex alterations resulted in changes to calculated surface and crown fire behavior. Crown base height decreased in post-epidemic classes, which allowed for easier crown fire initiation. Due to large gaps in canopy continuity, no active crown fire was initiated. In endemic situations, canopy bulk density was adequate to maintain active crown fire runs, but crown base height was too high to initiate crown fire. Surface fire, estimated from the custom fuel models following fuel complex alterations, showed that fireline intensity and rates of spread were greater in post-epidemic areas, but mostly due to reduced overstory sheltering. When custom fuel models were compared with similar mid-flame wind speeds, epidemic and post-epidemic fire behavior predictions were similar, indicating that reduced sheltering was more dominant than the influence of the fuels complex or solar radiation. When custom fuel models were compared with established fuel models, none predicted the same fire behavior outputs.

Submitted by Edisangela Bastos (edisangela@ufpa.br) on 2013-03-05T20:31:45Z No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23898 bytes, checksum: e363e809996cf46ada20da1accfcd9c7 (MD5) Dissertacao_ComunidadeCurculionidaeColeoptera.pdf: 1049310 bytes, checksum: 1abd0a9b761f74fec7fd3fc49cf8c25c (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Ana Rosa Silva(arosa@ufpa.br) on 2013-03-11T17:09:15Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23898 bytes, checksum: e363e809996cf46ada20da1accfcd9c7 (MD5) Dissertacao_ComunidadeCurculionidaeColeoptera.pdf: 1049310 bytes, checksum: 1abd0a9b761f74fec7fd3fc49cf8c25c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-03-11T17:09:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 license_rdf: 23898 bytes, checksum: e363e809996cf46ada20da1accfcd9c7 (MD5) Dissertacao_ComunidadeCurculionidaeColeoptera.pdf: 1049310 bytes, checksum: 1abd0a9b761f74fec7fd3fc49cf8c25c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Foi realizado o estudo da comunidade de Curculionidae de inflorescências da palmeira Euterpe longebracteata em Áreas de Preservação Permanente, degradadas e preservadas, na Fazenda Tanguro, Mato Grosso, Brasil, com o objetivo de fornecer subsídios às políticas de manejo e recuperação das áreas. Os curculionídeos representaram o componente mais importante da fauna associada às inflorescências de Euterpe longebracteata, com riqueza de 23 espécies, frequência de 97% nas amostras e abundância de 10.000 exemplares (ou 90% da abundância total). As espécies Phyllotrox sp. 18, Phyllotrox sp. 19, Erirhininae gen.n.Asp.1 , Erirhininae gen.n.Esp.1 e Bondariella sp.n.3 representaram mais de 98% da abundância, foram consideradas dominantes nas inflorescências de E. longebracteata e, portanto, especificamente associadas à palmeira, podendo atuar como as espécies polinizadoras efetivas de E. longebracteata na área. Apesar das diferenças entre APPs preservadas e degradadas, as populações de E. longebracteata e a composição de espécies de Curculionidae não apresentaram correlação com o nível de degradação das APPs. A riqueza de Curculionidae também não apresentou correlação com a cobertura do dossel, distância da amostra à borda, tamanho das inflorescências e o número de flores por inflorescências de E. longebracteata. A influência do período de coleta sobre a abundância da maioria das espécies dominantes foi considerada indício de flutuação populacional e sucessão ecológica. Enquanto que Phyllotrox sp. 19, parece apresentar padrão de distribuição agregada. As espécies Phyllotrox sp.18 e Erirhininae gen.n.Asp.1 foram consideradas com tendo abundância mais sensível a degradação das APPs. A palmeira Euterpe longebracteata apresenta potencial de uso na recuperação das áreas degradadas da Fazenda Tanguro, pois suas populações e suas espécies de prováveis Curculionidae polinizadores apresentaram tolerância à degradação observada. / The research was done with the community Curculionidae inflorescences of the palm Euterpe longebracteata in riparian areas (PPAs), degraded and preserved, in Tanguro Farm, Mato Grosso, Brazil, aiming to provide inputs on policy management and recovery areas. The weevils represented the most important component of the fauna associated with the inflorescences of the E. longebracteata, with 23 species richness, frequency of 97% in the samples and abundance of 10,000 (or 90% of total abundance). Species Phyllotrox sp. 18, Phyllotrox sp. 19, Erirhininae gen.n.Asp.1 , Erirhininae gen.n.Esp.1 and Bondariella sp. 3 accounted for more than 98% of abundance, were found to be dominant in the inflorescences of E. longebracteata and therefore specifically related to the palm and can act as effective pollinators species of the E. longebracteata in the area. Despite the differences between PPAs preserved and degraded populations of E. longebracteata and species composition of Curculionidae were not correlated with the level of degradation of PPAs. The wealth of Curculionidae also not correlated with canopy cover, distance to the edge of the sample, size of inflorescences and number of flowers per inflorescence of E. longebracteata. The influence of collection period on the abundance of most dominant species was regarded as indicative of population dynamics and ecological succession. While Phyllotrox sp. 19, seems to present a pattern of aggregate distribution. Species Phyllotrox sp.18 and Erirhininae gen. No The sp. 1 were considered as having plenty more sensitive to degradation of PPAs. The palm E. longebracteata has potential use in the recovery of degraded areas of Tanguro farm because their populations and species of Curculionidae likely pollinators showed tolerance to the observed degradation.

PA1b (Pea Albumin 1 sous-unité b), une knottine toxique de 37 acides aminés, présente un grand intérêt dans la lutte contre les charançons des céréales (Sitophilus spp.), principaux ravageurs des céréales stockées.<br />Afin de mieux connaître la nouvelle famille peptidique de PA1b, sa variabilité tant structurale que d'activité biologique a été étudiée au sein des Légumineuses. Après avoir validé notre approche sur 4 espèces végétales "test", nous avons caractérisé 24 gènes homologues chez 18 espèces de Papilionoideae. De plus, l'activité insecticide d'extraits de graines de 60 espèces des trois sous-familles de Légumineuses a été déterminée sur charançons de souche sensible et résistante à PA1b. Afin de relier variations de structure et d'activité, une approche par mutagenèse dirigée a été envisagée. Un système d'expression bactérienne et de purification de PA1b a été mis au point. Bien que de masse conforme (cystéines oxydées), le peptide recombinant ne présente pas d'activité biologique.

RÉSUMÉ: Le charançon rouge des palmiers, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Oliv.), est l'insecte ravageur le plus destructif des palmiers cultivés en Asie, Moyen-Orient et bassin méditerranéen. Le piégeage olfactif peut jouer un rôle important en lutte intégrée contre ce ravageur mais l'usage indispensable de matériel végétal comme synergiste de sa phéromone d'agrégation limite son efficacité et son essor en zone désertique. Afin de disposer d'un synergiste synthéti-que de la phéromone, nous avons criblé par piégeage de terrain en Iran l'effet synergique avec la phéromone de molé-cules identifiées dans: 1- l'odeur de stipe de dattier, la plante-hôte de R. ferrugineus au Moyen-Orient lors de ce travail et 2- d'autres plantes-hôtes de Rhynchophorus spp. et décrites dans la bibliographie ou de structure apparentée. Nous avons utilisé la chromatographie en phase gazeuse (CPG) couplée à la spectrométrie de masse pour identifier la compo-sition d'odeurs de stipe de dattier isolées par collecte d'effluves. Les constituants potentiellement actifs sur le compor-tement de l'insecte ont été criblés par couplage CPG-électroantennographie (CPG-EAG) après une étude morphofonc-tionnelle de l'antenne par microscopie électronique à balayage et électroantennographie visant à vérifier s'il existait une régionalisation olfactive de la massue antennaire. Quatre types majoritaires de soies ont été identifiés, similaires à ceux décrits chez Rhynchophorus palmarum. Deux correspondent à des sensilles olfactives trichoïdes et basiconiques. La densité de sensilles basiconiques est plus élevée chez les femelles que chez les mâles et, chez les deux sexes, sur la face interne de la massue que sur la face externe. Les amplitudes des électroantennogrammes enregistrés à six molécules odorantes sont plus fortes à partir de la face interne de l'antenne que de la face externe mais le même profil de réponse a été obtenu que le branchement ait été réalisé en position, dorsale, centrale ou ventrale sur la massue. Au total, 109 molécules ont été identifiées dans les extraits d'odeur de dattier. Dix produits ont induit des électroantennogrammes reproductibles dans les analyses CPG-EAG dont un, l'anisole, a été identifié. L'effet phérosynergique de deux mélanges élaborés à partir des analyses d'odeurs de dattier, d'un mélange de molécules déclenchant des EAG de fortes amplitudes et de 21 mélanges bâtis à partir de 52 molécules issues de la bibliographie ont été étudiés. Parmi tous les mélanges testés sur le terrain, un mélange d'éthanol et d'acétate d'éthyle (50:50 v/v) à une dose de 300 mg/j a présenté un effet phérosynergique compétitif avec 0,35 kg de stipe de dattier et parfois avec 1,2 kg. Une variabilité importante de l'effet relatif entre ce mélange et le tissu de dattier a été observé au cours des trois saisons de travail. Aucun des mélanges plus complexes évalués n'a présenté d'effet notablement supérieur. L'activité antennaire de produits non identifiés dans l'odeur naturelle de dattier et l'absence d'effet phérosynergique des molécules testées, compétitif avec l'odeur naturelle, mettent en évidence le rôle important de composants de l'odeur du dattier non identifiés et/ou l'existence d'effets de mélange non évalués lors du présent travail. Le mélange d'éthanol et d'acétate d'éthyle, simple et bon marché, offre néanmoins une alternative intéressante pour améliorer le piégeage olfactif de R. ferrugineus dans la pratique, compte tenu du statut actuel de ce ravageur et de l'absence de meilleure alternative à l'usage d'appâts naturels.