Glomerella leaf spot (GLS) and bitter rot (BR) are severe diseases of apple. Colletotrichum nymphaeae and Colletotrichum chrysophillum are the main species in Brazil. To control GLS and BR in Brazilian apple orchards, mancozeb and thiophanate-methyl fungicides are still used despite reported Colletotrichum resistance to these active ingredients. In addition, mancozeb has been banned from apple-importing countries and it has been a great challenge for apple producers to find products for its replacement that are eco-friendly. So, this study aimed to search for alternatives to control the diseases. We assessed the antifungal activity of eugenol, isoeugenol, thymol, carvacrol, and some of their ester derivatives. The best products to inhibit the pathogen in in vitro assays were thymol, thymol butyrate, and carvacrol, completely inhibiting mycelial growth at 125 mg L⁻¹ and conidial germination at 100 mg L⁻¹. In detached apple fruit, eugenol, eugenyl acetate, carvacryl acetate, and thymol butyrate, significantly reduced BR symptoms caused by Colletotrichum species with some variation between experiments and species, decreasing the risk of BR with the time compared to control. In detached leaves, all tested compounds significantly reduced the risk of development of GLS symptoms with disease control varying from 30 to 100%. The compounds tested are promising alternatives to replace fungicides to control bitter rot and Glomerella leaf spot on apple culture and should be tested for field conditions.

Tagetes minuta L. is a naturalized species that is not endemic to the high-altitude fields of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil. In this study, we investigated the composition of the essential oil (EO) from the flowers of the plant and its larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti. The EO was obtained by hydrodistillation using a Clevenger apparatus. The chemical composition was determined using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The EO extraction yield was 4.9%, and the major compounds (Z)-tagetone, (Z)-β-ocimene, and dihydrotagetone were identified. The 24 h larvicidal activity was verified against that of L3 larvae of the Rockefeller strain of Ae. Aegypti. The EO showed larvicidal activity against Ae. aegypti, with LC₅₀ = 17.28 μg/mL^-1. The results indicate that the bioinsecticidal potential of T. minuta EO is promising for the development of research in the field of natural products.

Culex quinquefasciatus Say, 1823 (Diptera, Culicidae) has relevance in health due to their role in transmitting pathogens that cause diseases such as Bancroftian filariasis, West Nile virus, Rift Valley fever, Saint Louis encephalitis, Zika virus and Mayaro virus. Subsequent monitoring and control of these vectors are crucial to minimize the circulation of these pathogens. Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies israelensis de Barjac, 1978 (Bti) is a bacterium that produces toxins with specific entomopathogenic action, distinguishing it from synthetic insecticides due to its high specificity and lower susceptibility to resistance. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of new Bti-based formulations for controlling C. quinquefasciatus mosquitoes under field conditions. Product BR 101 demonstrated satisfactory efficacy for up to five days, achieving a peak population reduction of 94.97% on the third day post-application, followed by a gradual population recovery. The product proved effective for C. quinquefasciatus control without affecting abiotic factors, offering an efficient option for reducing vector density with minimal impact on non-target fauna due to its selectivity.

Due to the hematophagous habits of females, some species of black fly (Diptera: Simuliidae) cause economic losses and health damages to humans and livestock. Several bioinsecticides based on the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) have been widely used to control the populations of these insects. This study evaluates the susceptibility of black fly larvae to a new Bti solid effervescent formulation, comparing it with a commercial standard formulation, Vectobac^® liquid formulation, under laboratory conditions. Also, the diversity of Simuliidae, and aspects of the water quality, were analyzed from streams in the municipality of Cascavel, state of Paraná, Brazil. Larvae were collected from streams in the urban and rural areas of Cascavel. In laboratory, larvae were exposed of the Bti formulations. Eighteen hours after application of the formulations, larval mortality was evaluated. The control group did not exceed 20% mortality, for concentrations of 50 and 60 mg/L, the mean mortality rates were 50.6% and 64.2%, respectively, and neither differed significantly from the Vectobac^®. Samples from streams showed external fecal contamination during the eight weeks of monitoring, and water quality parameters that could interfere with the efficacy of Bti application at the site. The following species of black flies were collected and identified in the two watersheds sampled: Simulium pertinax, S. subpallidum, S. nigrimanum, S. rubrithorax, S. perflavum, and S. inaequale. The bioecological aspects of the breeding site were investigated and are presented here. This is the first report of black fly species for the municipality of Cascavel. The potential of the solid effervescent formulation was proven under laboratory conditions and the bioecological evaluations demonstrated the relevance of environmental diagnosis and monitoring in the optimization of control protocols for Simuliidae.

Z. kleinii is an endemic species in Brazil. No reports of popular use, regarding its chemical composition or biological activities were reported to date. The study aimed to investigated the chemical composition of the essential oil of Zanthoxylum kleinii leaves and evaluate its antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis and methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus. The essential oil was extracted from fresh leaves by hydrodistillation method, using a Clevenger apparatus, having a yield of 0.12% (v/m) volume of essential oil in relation to the amount of plant material. Quantitative analysis was performed by GC-MS and the results showed that the essential oil contains 30 compounds. The major compounds are monoterpene hydrocarbons, including β-phellandrene (37.80%), α-pinene (13.32%) and myrcene (10.05%). The essential oil showed no antibacterial activity against the strains tested (E. coli, P. aeruginosa, E. faecalis and S. aureus).

Due to the hematophagous habits of females, some species of black fly (Diptera, Simuliidae) are known to be responsible for economic losses and can cause significant damage to the health of human and livestock populations. To control populations of these insects, several bioinsecticides based on the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis var. israelensis (Bti) are widely used. The objective of the current study was to evaluate the susceptibility of black fly larvae to a new Bti solid effervescent formulation, comparing it with a commercial standard formulation, Vectobac® liquid formulation, under laboratory conditions. The study was carried out in the municipality of Cascavel, Paraná, Brazil. Eighteen hours after application of the formulations, larval mortality was evaluated. The control group did not exceed 20% mortality, for concentrations of 50 and 60 mg/L, the mean mortality rates were 50.6% and 64.2%, respectively, and neither differed significantly from the Vectobac®. The stream sampled showed external fecal contamination during the eight weeks of monitoring and water quality parameters that could interfere with the efficiency of the control with Bti at the site. The following species of black flies were collected and identified in the two watersheds sampled: Simulium pertinax, S. subpallidum, S. nigrimanum, S. rubrithorax, S. perflavum , and S. inaequale . Bioecological aspects of the breeding site were addressed and presented here, this being the first report of black fly species for the municipality of Cascavel. The potential of the solid effervescent formulation was proven under laboratory conditions and the bioecological evaluations demonstrated the relevance of environmental diagnosis and monitoring in the optimization of control protocols for Simuliidae.