Banca de DEFESA: GABRIELLA MARIE SAN JOSE

Uma banca de DEFESA de MESTRADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : GABRIELLA MARIE SAN JOSE
DATE: 23/02/2026
TIME: 14:00
LOCAL: Auditório CEAGRI II
TITLE:

MONITORING THE SOUTH AMERICAN PALM WEEVIL AND EXPLORING BIORATIONAL CONTROL METHODS

KEY WORDS:

Coconut pest, attract and kill, parasitic fly, red ring nematode

PAGES: 111
BIG AREA: Ciências Agrárias
AREA: Agronomia
SUBÁREA: Fitossanidade
SPECIALTY: Entomologia Agrícola
SUMMARY:

The South American palm weevil (SAPW), Rhynchophorus palmarum L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is a significant pest of cultivated and ornamental palms in the Neotropics and an emerging pest of international concern. Development of the immature stages takes place in palm tissues, reducing the effectiveness of conventional insecticide applications. Adults and larvae damage meristematic tissues, frequently causing palm death and vectoring the red ring nematode, the causal agent of the irreversible red ring disease. Consequently, management strategies focus on reducing adult populations. This study assessed SAPW population dynamics in coconut plantations along the coast of Pernambuco State and tested an attract and kill (A&K) technique composed of pheromone-baited traps with cypermethrin dollops. Population density, historical palm mortality, and adult captures were monitored during a 15-month period. Throughout the period, the SAPW population remained consistently high, exhibiting no significant seasonal fluctuations. However, A&K-treated plots showed a 1.7-1.8-fold reduction in adult captures compared to untreated plots, and the results appear heavily influenced by the surrounding landscape. Cypermethrin dollops retained high lethal action for up to 12 months, beyond the recommended four-month replacement interval, allowing longer-term adult control. Historical annual mortality of coconut plants across the studied sites was estimated at 5.8 to 18.9 plants per year, which decreased to 1.59 to 9.96 plants in the A&K plots over the study period. In parallel, the biological characteristics of Billaea rhynchophorae (Blanchard) (Diptera: Tachinidae), the only known SAPW parasitoid, were studied to support biological control efforts. Field parasitism rates ranged from 7.4 to 42.8% in eight SAPW cocoon collections. Laboratory recovery allowed for novel findings on development, emergence, pupal size effects, and adult performance. Larger pupae required more developmental time but generated larger adults, whereas smaller pupae had better emergence success. The sex ratio varied with pupal size, and adults preferred to feed on a 10% sugar solution and mixed bee pollen. Previously undocumented sexual dimorphism was identified, providing new morphological characters for sex determination. Collectively, these results demonstrate the efficacy of pheromone-based A&K techniques and provide significant advances in the biological characterization of B. rhynchophorae, expanding its potential for integrated SAPW management.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - JORGE BRAZ TORRES
Externo à Instituição - ELIO CESAR GUZZO - EMBRAPA
Externo à Instituição - MARK STEPHEN HODDLE