The spotted wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii) is one of the main invasive pests of small fruits in the world. Thus, 19 essential oils (EOs) were selected to analyze the effects through toxicity and repellency on oviposition and D. suzukii adults. In addition, their lethal and sublethal effects on the pupal endoparasitoid Trichopria anastrephae were evaluated. The EOs of C. flexuosus and Mentha spp. had the highest toxicity observed in the topical application bioassay for D. suzukii. In contrast, the EOs of C. verum, C. citratus QT citratus, and C. winterianus showed the highest toxicity in the ingestion bioassay for D. suzukii. The dry residues of C. verum and C. citratus QT citratus reduced the oviposition of D. suzukii. In the repellency bioassays, the 19 EOs analyzed repelled ≅ 90% of the D. suzukii females. All EOs evaluated using the LC₉₀ values of the products provided mortality of less than 20% of T. anastrephae adults and did not cause a reduction in the parasitism of surviving T. anastrephae females. We conclude that the EOs evaluated have the potential to be used in the management of D. suzukii. They can also serve as selective active ingredients for the formulation and synthesis of new biopesticides.

We use a set of three resistive sensors based on undoped multi-walled carbon nanotubes, B-doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes, and N-doped multi-walled carbon nanotubes to study fungal infection in strawberries inoculated with Rhizopus sp. or with Aspergillus sp. section Nigri. We apply tristimulus analysis using the conductance variation of the sensors when exposed to the infected strawberries to distinguish between uninfected strawberries and strawberries infected with Rhizopus sp. or with Aspergillus sp. section Nigri, and to obtain a graphical representation providing a tool for the simple and fast detection and identification of the fungal infection.

Baccharis articulata Pers., Baccharis trimera (Less) DC., Baccharis milleflora DC., Baccharis oblongifolia Pers., Baccharis anomala DC., Baccharis calvescens DC., Baccharis uncinella DC., Baccharis axillaris DC., Baccharis mesoneura DC. and Baccharis myriocephala DC. essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation. Using gas chromatography/flame ionization detector (GC-FID), a total of 48 constituents were identified, representing for 70.3–96.7% of the chemical composition. The yield of essential oil from fresh leaf ranged from 0.02% (B. myriocephala) to 1.89% (B. uncinella). Limonene was the main constituent in all species, while α-thujene, α-pinene, sabinene, β-pinene, myrcene, p-cymene, limonene, (E)-β-ocimene, γ-terpinene, spathulenol and α- cadinol were identified in all samples. Principal Components Analysis and Cluster Analysis revealed that chemical similarity was highest for B. calvescens, B. myriocephala, B. trimera, B. milleflora, B. anomala, B. oblongifolia, B. articulata and B. uncinella.

Campomanesia guazumifolia (Cambess.) O. Berg. is a native fruit species, with ecological importance and potential to be exploited by food and medical industries. There is a lack of studies enabling its on-site conservation and propagation for commercial purposes. The objective of this work was to morphologically characterize the fruit, seed and seedling development stage of this species, as well as to determine an efficient protocol for the germination test, aiming at the commercial production of seedlings. Different temperatures (20, 25, 30 and 20-30 °C), substrates (blotting paper, sand and vermiculite) and light regimes (presence and absence) were tested in order to evaluate the germination power of seeds. Fruits are bacoid, rounded, with a fleshy pericarp and hairy surface, and with an intense yellow coloration. Seeds have a reniform shape and a lateral recess, with a membranous, brown and verrucose-glanulose tegument. It has a crass embryo, with a well developed hypocotyl-radicle axis and vestigial cotyledons. Seedlings are epigeal and phanerocotylar. It is recommended to conduct the germination test for the species with temperatures of 25 or 30 ºC, on paper substrates, with light presence or absence, and with the first test count performed 23 days and the final count 50 days after sowing.