Search

BACKGROUND: Corn intercropped with ruzigrass is common in Brazil, and it can improve the physicochemical features of soils, increase water retention, and suppress the emergence of resistant weeds and soil nematodes. As both corn and ruzigrass are hosts to Spodoptera frugiperda (the main corn pest in South America), the cultivation of both these plants in the same place at one time motivates investigation into the pest population dynamics. We hypothesize that the intercropping system influences S. frugiperda pressure and leaf injury in corn. Considering that if corn hybrids with high dose toxin expression are used, ruzigrass may be a potential host to susceptible S. frugiperda larvae, consequently an alternative refuge and be included as a tool for the resistant management of Bt corn. To test these hypotheses about the use of ruzigrass as an alternative host of S. frugiperda in an intercropping system with corn, we conducted field trials in three seasons to verify S. frugiperda population dynamics and leaf injury to crop systems. In addition to phenotypic evaluation, we also characterized molecularly S. frugiperda strains collected in corn and ruzigrass to identify strain differences. RESULTS: The insects collected in both corn and ruzigrass were identified as corn strains. Ruzigrass was used as a S. frugiperda host during all crop cycles. The intercropped system did not increase the S. frugiperda population or leaf injury on Bt corn. CONCLUSION: The results suggest that the intercropped system is not prejudicial to Bt corn cultivation since high dose concept applies to all larvae instars. The results also suggest that ruzigrass may be used as a promising alternative refuge in Bt corn agroecosystems, if compliance with management strategies is followed. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Baru (Dipteryx alata Vog.) is a species with great economic and environmental potential; it has popular acceptance, besides being a very productive species. Alternative propagation methods are important for species maintenance and exploration. Thus, micropropagation emerged as an alternative technique, providing genetic stability and the production of a large number of seedlings. The aim of the present investigation was to develop a callus induction protocol for in vitro baru explants. The tested explants were nodal, internodal and foliar segments. The explants were disinfected for 30 seconds in 70% alcohol (v/v) and 2 minutes in sodium hypochlorite (1.25% active chlorine). This was followed by triple washing. The inoculation was carried out in test tubes containing 15 mL MS medium (30 g L-1 sucrose, 6 g L-1 agar and 100 mg L-1 ascorbic acid) supplemented with 2.0 mg L-1 naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The solution also contained 0.0, 2.5 or 5.0 mg L-1 of 6- benzylaminopurine (BAP) with the pH adjusted to 5.8. In the incubation phase, the explants were cultured for seven days in the dark and then subjected to a photoperiod of 16 hours (43 μmol m-2 s-1) at 25 ± 2 °C. The treatments were studied with 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 or 10.0 mg L-1 BAP additions to the MS. Callus formation, contamination and oxidation evaluations were undertaken. The results obtained when using 2.0 mg L-1 NAA concluded that such a treatment should be used to induce callogenesis from nodal explants, while for the tested baru leaf explants, the best results for callus formation were given by the combination of 2.0 mg L-1 NAA with 2.5 mg L-1 of BAP to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]