Banca de DEFESA: EUGENIA SILVA BARRETO COSTA

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : EUGENIA SILVA BARRETO COSTA
DATE: 26/02/2026
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Defesa hibrida via Google meet
TITLE:

Chemotaxis of the parasitoid Diachasmimorpha longicaudata (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) regarding volatiles from exotic and native host fruits of fruit flies.

KEY WORDS:

Biological control, foraging behavior,olfactometer, tephritids.

PAGES: 45
BIG AREA: Ciências Agrárias
AREA: Agronomia
SUBÁREA: Fitossanidade
SPECIALTY: Entomologia Agrícola
SUMMARY:

Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) represent one of the main obstacles to global fruit production, causing significant economic losses and requiring coordinated control strategies. Among the alternatives to chemical control, biological control stands out, with emphasis on the use of native and exotic parasitoid insects. Diachasmimorpha longicaudata is an exotic species widely used in biological control programs for tephritids worldwide. However, the low establishment of this parasitoid constitutes a challenge. In semiarid regions of northeastern Brazil, the presence of D. longicaudata is not correlated with native fruits, indicating another challenge for the establishment of the parasitoid in these areas. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the attractiveness of D. longicaudata females to volatiles emitted by native and exotic fruits that are hosts of fruit flies, in order to understand aspects of the species' foraging behavior and its potential for maintenance in semi-arid environments. To this end, female parasitoids were subjected to double-choice olfactory tests, observing the parameters of choice, latency, and persistence of these females in response to the emitted volatiles. Exotic fruits (mango, papaya, grape, and barbados cherry) and native fruits (guava, cashew fruit, juazeiro, and cajarana) were tested in contrast with pure air. The results demonstrated a significant preference for the volatiles of mango, papaya, guava, and cajarana, highlighting the olfactory plasticity and generalist nature of the parasitoid. In particular, the positive response to cajarana suggests that native fruits of the semi-arid region may act as natural repositories of D. longicaudata. These findings contribute to the understanding of the tritrophic interactions involved and provide support for improving biological control programs for fruit flies in semiarid regions.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Interno - ***.253.274-** - ELTON LÚCIO ARAUJO - UFERSA
Externo à Instituição - DANIELL RODRIGO RODRIGUES FERNANDES - INPA
Externo à Instituição - EWERTON MARINHO DA COSTA - UFCG