Desde a última década é notório o desaparecimento das populações de abelhas polinizadoras em diversos países. Esse grupo é responsável pela polinização e manutenção de centenas de espécies vegetais usadas na alimentação humana, além de contribuir de forma expressiva para o desenvolvimento socioeconômico de comunidades associadas à agricultura familiar. Neste trabalho, são discutidas as possíveis causas do desaparecimento, entre as quais se destacam: o desmatamento, reforçado pela carência de flora natural, o manejo inadequado de colmeias, as crescentes infestações de pragas nas colônias e o uso de agrotóxicos. Sugerem-se estratégias para a conservação de abelhas nativas e domesticadas, merecendo destaque: (a) a conservação da paisagem natural circundante às áreas agrícolas; (b) a profissionalização de apicultores no manejo nutricional e de conservação das colmeias; e (c) o contínuo desenvolvimento de estudos criteriosos sobre o efeito letal e subletal de agrotóxicos sobre os polinizadores.

The Anastrepha fraterculus (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) is the main pest of fruit trees grown in temperate climates in the southern region of Brazil. The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficiency of the major commercial food lures used in Brazil for trapping and monitoring of A. fraterculus in plum, pear, and feijoa orchards. The assessed lures were hydrolyzed proteins of animal origin (CeraTrap) and plant origin (BioAnastrepha), torula yeast + borax (Torula), and grape juice. Response variables included the rate of adult capture (flies per trap per day, FTD) and the percentage of females captured. We also evaluated the number of times the weekly capture rate exceeded the traditional threshold of 0.5 FTD for each lure. Traps baited with grape juice, currently used for monitoring A. fraterculus in Southern Brazil, captured fewer adults and a lower percentage of females compared with the other lures. CeraTrap trapped a greater number of A. fraterculus adults and, in some cases, a lower percentage of females compared with the other lures in pears. Traps baited with CeraTrap had greater capture rates (FTD), particularly during the stages of fruit maturation and harvest, and even in years with low population density of A. fraterculus, thus demonstrating greater sensitivity in the detection of this pest. These results show that, in order to detect and monitor the presence of A. fraterculus in plum, feijoa, and pear crops, protein-based lures are superior to grape juice, especially the animal protein CeraTrap.

Sour passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims, 1818) crops in Brazil are drawing attention due to the national production, and the increasing consumption of this fruit as fresh and processed products. However, fruit losses due to damages caused by stink bugs (Hemiptera: Coreidae) are concerning to fruit growers in southern Brazil. The objective of this study was to evaluate the population fluctuation and control of stink bugs in P. edulis crops grown in the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 crop seasons in Araquari, SC, Brazil, using natural and synthetic insecticides. The stink bug population was evaluated using the 0.25 m2 frame technique. The evaluations were carried out weekly during the two crop seasons. The species and distribution of stink bugs in the different parts of the plant were evaluated. The insecticides and rates used were: Neenmax (azadirachtin 1.0%) at 10 mL L-1; Orobor N1 (N-citric acid 1.0% + 0.20% B) at 2 mL L-1; and Decis 25 EC (deltamethrin 2.5%) at 1 mL L-1, diluted in aqueous solution. Specimens of three stink bug species where found: 86% Diactor bilineatus (Hemiptera: Coreidae); 13.5% Holhymenia histrio (Hemiptera: Coreidae), and 0.5% Nezara viridula (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). The D. bilineatus species presented higher frequency, constancy, and dominance during the evaluated crop seasons; 64% of the stink bugs were found on fruits, 18.5% on leaves, 7.3% on floral buds, 5.8% on flowers, and 4.4% on branches. The use of azadirachtin or deltamethrin was efficient to reduce the stink bug infestation and the number of P. edulis withered fruits.

Barley is predominantly cultivated in the southern Brazilian states of Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná and relies on treated seeds planted under a no-till system with crop rotation (¹⁷, ²⁵). Despite these management strategies, necrotrophic fungi can be found on aerial plant parts, which can lead to foliar disease epidemics and reduced yield (²).

The South American fruit fly, Anastrepha fraterculus (Diptera: Tephritidae) is the most important insect pest in pear tree crops in Southern Brazil. Several studies pointed to the controversial efficacy of some food lures used for capture and monitoring this species in various fruit species. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of food lures available in the Brazilian market in capturing and monitoring A. fraterculus in relation to grape juice. The experiment was conducted during the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 crop seasons in an Asian pear (Pyrus spp.) orchard located in Caçador, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil. The food lures evaluated were CeraTrap®, BioAnastrepha®, Torula®, Isca Mosca®, BioFruit®, and grape juice (a standard food lure in Southern Brazil). For each attractant substance, population fluctuations of A. fraterculus were recorded as well as the average number of female and male specimens captured, the FTD (fly/trap/day) rate of capture, the number of control indications, and mean weekly evaporation. The first A. fraterculus adults were captured in November, and in both crop seasons the population peak was found in January. CeraTrap® was more effective in capturing females and males and indicated a higher number of control indications compared to the other food lures. Grape juice presented lower effectiveness compared to CeraTrap®, including the evaporation parameter. It was concluded that CeraTrap® is the most effective food attractant in capturing adults of A. fraterculus and more accurate in detecting its population levels in Asian pear orchards, therefore, it is recommended rather than the usual grape juice.

Fruit flies cause economically important damage on several cultivated and native South American fruit trees. Hence, it is important to understand the population dynamics of these insects. This study aimed to characterize the assemblage and population fluctuations of fruit flies in a feijoa ( Acca sellowiana ) orchard in Lages, Santa Catarina State, Brazil from September 2009 to May 2012. Captures of flies were made with McPhail traps baited with hydrolyzed protein. Evaluations and bait change were performed weekly. A total of 2,197 flies were captured (957 males and 1,240 females). Analysis of abundance, constancy, dominancy and frequency showed that Anastrepha fraterculus was the main species captured; it was considered to be very frequent, constant and highly dominant throughout the study period. The orchard presented low equitability, low diversity, and high dominance of A. fraterculus during the three fruit seasons evaluated. No correlation was found between climatic factors and population levels of A. fraterculus .