Claudia Aparecida de Lima Toledo

Abiotic and biotic factors influence the productivity and quality of melon fruit; therefore, the protection of plants using agrotextile mesh is a solution that can be agronomically viable, as it reduces the use phytosanitary pesticides and allows for greater productivity and, consequently, quality. The objective this study was to evaluate the influence of coverage time with an agrotextile (0, 21, 26 and 31 days after transplanting (DAT)) in melon hybrids ‘Gold Mine’, ‘Soleares’, ‘Lual’ and ‘Natal’ on productivity and fruit quality attributes. The plants that were protected with agrotextile mesh for 21 and 26 DAT had higher productivity (53.5 and 52.1 t ha−1). Among the hybrids, all excellent plots produced above 42.4 1 t ha−1. Of the observed hybrid quality parameters, 'Natal' protected for 21 DAT showed a better total phenol content and a higher maturation index, and 'Soleares' protected for 21 DAT showed a higher DPPH antioxidant activity and flavonoid content.

This study evaluated the productivity and economic profitability of cultivation systems for the table market. A hybrid tomato cultivar, Fascínio was grown in 12 cultivation systems of the “half stake”, “open V”, and “low” types, with four spacings–0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 m between plants and 1.5 m between rows. Eleven fruits were harvested at the mature stage, and the productive (total, commercial, and non-commercial productivity, percentage of losses, and types of damage) and economic (production cost, revenue, and profit) parameters were evaluated. The half-stake and low (both with 0.2 m spacing) cropping systems showed the highest total yields (179 t ha-1), differing from the open V (154.4 t ha-1) and half-stake (0.2 m spacing) systems at higher commercial productivity (158.1 t ha-1). With a production cost below 100 thousand R$ per hectare and a profitability index above 58%, the half-stake and low (0.2 m spacing) cultivation systems proved to be more productive and economically efficient than the open V system, fulfilling the requirements of tomato growers. The creeping system (0.2 m spacing) had the highest percentage of losses (22%) due to non-marketable fruits; Based on damage nature, the half-stake system tomatoes showed black backgrounds and the open and creeping systems showed tomato locules affected by pests. This study evaluated the productivity and economic profitability of cultivation systems for the table market. A hybrid tomato cultivar, Fascínio was grown in 12 cultivation systems of the “half stake”, “open V”, and “low” types, with four spacings–0.2, 0.3, 0.4, and 0.5 m between plants and 1.5 m between rows. Eleven fruits were harvested at the mature stage, and the productive (total, commercial, and non-commercial productivity, percentage of losses, and types of damage) and economic (production cost, revenue, and profit) parameters were evaluated. The half-stake and low (both with 0.2 m spacing) cropping systems showed the highest total yields (179 t ha-1), differing from the open V (154.4 t ha-1) and half-stake (0.2 m spacing) systems at higher commercial productivity (158.1 t ha-1). With a production cost below 100 thousand R$ per hectare and a profitability index above 58%, the half-stake and low (0.2 m spacing) cultivation systems proved to be more productive and economically efficient than the open V system, fulfilling the requirements of tomato growers. The creeping system (0.2 m spacing) had the highest percentage of losses (22%) due to non-marketable fruits; Based on damage nature, the half-stake system tomatoes showed black backgrounds and the open and creeping systems showed tomato locules affected by pests.

The determined growth tomato plant has advantages such as reduction of labor and inputs, enabling the production of fruits for consumption " in natura" efficiently. The objective of this work was to evaluate the conduction and spacing systems between plants with determined tomatoes and their influence on the production attributes and quality of the fruit. The experiment was carried out in the open field with three conduction systems (“half stake”, open V and “mulch”) and four spacings between plants (0.2; 0.3; 0.4; and 0.5 m). It was found that the highest yield and commercial production and number of large fruits were obtained in the half stake and mulch system. The spacing at 0.5 m provided the highest fruit production (6.4 kg in 56 fruits), and at 0.2 m, the highest productivity was obtained (145.63 t ha -1). In the 0.2 m and open V 0.5 m stake system, the fruits had a high lycopene content. spacing 0.2 m in half stake, and mulch systems were favorable for the production of quality fruit.

O tomateiro (Solanum lycopersicum L.) é uma planta cosmopolita de grande importância mundial e seu cultivo está presente em diversos países tropicais e subtropicais. No entanto, a ocorrência da traça-do-tomateiro [Tuta absoluta (Meyrick)] pode causar danos de até 100% em seus cultivos. Esse inseto forma galerias em folhas, caules, flores e frutos do tomateiro, durante todo seu desenvolvimento fenológico. Nos últimos anos, esta praga tem provocado muitas perdas nos cultivos de tomate devido a seleção de populações resistentes a diamidas, a principal molécula inseticida utilizada no controle da traça-do-tomateiro. O objetivo deste trabalho foi combinar dados de múltiplos estudos sobre T. absoluta a fim de estabelecer no panorama atual, possíveis soluções e perspectivas para o manejo dessa praga, utilizando o Google Scholar como ferramenta de busca. A traça-do-tomateiro atualmente é motivo de preocupação em vários países produtores, por apresentar alto potencial de infestação, adaptação e resistência a inseticidas (Diamidas). Tornando o uso de métodos de controle biológico com base no uso de predadores (Mirídeos), parasitoides (Trichogramma), entomopatógenos e armadilhas de feromônio, importantes ferramentas para o manejo sustentável desta praga. O estudo conclui que os métodos de controle biológico podem ser importantes para um manejo integrado de pragas, frente a sua resistência a inseticidas. Tornando fundamental conhecer a biologia e comportamento para melhores resultados no manejo e monitoramento da traça-do-tomateiro.

A couve é uma hortaliça bastante popular no mundo, no entanto a ocorrência de insetos-praga pode comprometer a produção e a rentabilidade da cultura. Desta forma, objetivou-se avaliar a produtividade e a rentabilidade de dois híbridos de couve cultivados sob túnel baixo e campo aberto. O estudo foi realizado utilizando-se dois híbridos de couve folha Hi-crop e Kobe e seis ambientes: túneis baixos cobertos com agrotêxtil na gramatura 15 g/m2, organza branca na gramatura 47 g/m2, tela vermelha (Chromatinet® 35%), tela termorefletora prata (Aluminet® 35%), tela preta (Sombrite® 35%) e campo aberto, com quatro repetições. Foram realizadas seis colheitas e a somatória das médias foi utilizada para a estimativa da produtividade para cada ambiente. Calculou-se o custo operacional total e os indicadores econômicos referentes ao cultivo de cada híbrido e ambiente, estimando-se o lucro operacional, índice de lucratividade (%), margem bruta (%), ponto de nivelamento em quilos por hectare e ponto de nivelamento para estabelecimento do valor a ser aplicado na comercialização do maço do produto. Ambos os híbridos apresentaram elevada produtividade e índices de rentabilidade em todos os ambientes. O híbrido ‘Hi-crop’ apresentou a maior produtividade quando cultivado sob túnel de organza. O uso de ambiente protegido proporcionou redução na necessidade de pulverização de inseticida o que refletiu na produtividade e consequentemente na rentabilidade dos cultivos.

Parasitoides do gênero Trichogramma são utilizados em todo o mundo para o manejo de pragas. A capacidade de dispersão desses insetos em cultivos determina o número de pontos necessários de liberação para que haja resultados satisfatórios quanto ao parasitismo e consequentemente, o manejo da praga. Para determinação da capacidade de dispersão de T. pretiosum em cultivos de couve e repolho, foram demarcadas áreas de 26 x 26 m, em que foram colocadas cartelas contendo ovos de A. kuehniella distribuídas de forma concêntricas e equidistantes. No centro de cada área foram liberados 100 mil parasitoides e o parasitismo foi permitido por 24 horas. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi em blocos casualizados, com cinco tratamentos (distância) e quatro repetições. A distância média dispersada foi de 6,27 metros em couve e 6,07 em repolho, enquanto que área de dispersão foi de 81,23 na cultura da couve e 79,03 metros no cultivo de repolho, sendo possível determinar que por hectare são necessários 123 pontos de liberação para couve e 126 para repolho.

Biological control using Trichogramma pretiosum is applied in more than 15 million hectares worldwide; however, the economic aspects of this method need to be clarified. Thus, the present study aimed to determine the cost and profitability of using T. pretiosum in the commercial cultivation of cabbage, purple cabbage, and kale for the management of Plutella xylostella and other lepidopteran pests. The experiment was conducted in an area of commercial cultivation of Brassica sp., located in the municipality of Pardinho, São Paulo, Brazil, for one year from March 2020 to March 2021. The proportions of T. pretiosum used for cabbage and kale were 200,000 females/ha and 300,000 females/ha, respectively. The flooding releases of T. pretiosum provided a 100% reduction in the spraying of chemical insecticides, and represented 36.2% of the manual operations performed in the cultivation of kale. In cabbage cultivation, costs of monitoring and release of T. pretiosum accounted for 19.2% of the manual operations. The acquisition cost of the parasitoids represented 34.1% and 14.0% of material costs in the cultivation of green cabbage and purple cabbage, respectively. In kale crops, it represents 20.9% of consumable material costs. Releases of T. pretiosum cost up to 50% less compared to spraying with chemical insecticides. In addition to providing operation profit during all plantings performed over a year, use of T. pretiosum allows profitability rates above 70% and 50% in the cultivation of green and purple cabbage s, respectively. The acquisition cost of T. pretiosum is low when compared to chemical insecticides, allowing greater profitability of production systems.

Infestation by Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) causes damage to tomatoes with production losses of up to 100%, affecting the physiological and biochemical aspects of host plants. The objective of this study was to analyze the influence of infestation of cryptic species of B. tabaci MED and MEAM1 on the physiological and biochemical aspects of tomato. Tomato plants ‘Santa Adélia Super’ infested with B. tabaci (MED and MEAM1), and non-infested plants were evaluated for differences in gas exchange, chlorophyll - a fluorescence of photosystem II (PSII), and biochemical factors (total phenols, total flavonoids, superoxide dismutase—SOD, peroxidase—POD, and polyphenol oxidase—PPO). Plants infested with B. tabaci MED showed low rates of CO₂ assimilation and stomatal conductance of 55% and 52%, respectively. The instantaneous carboxylation efficiency was reduced by 40% in MED and by 60% in MEAM1 compared to the control. Regarding biochemical aspects, plants infested by MED cryptic species showed high activity of POD and PPO enzymes and total phenol content during the second and third instars when compared to control plants. Our results indicate that B. tabaci MED infestation in tomato plants had a greater influence than B. tabaci MEAM1 infestation on physiological parameters (CO₂ assimilation rate (A), stomatal conductance (gs), and apparent carboxylation efficiency (A/Ci)) and caused increased activity of POD and PPO enzymes, indicating plant resistance to attack. In contrast, B. tabaci MEAM1 caused a reduction in POD enzyme activity, favoring offspring performance.