The objective of this work was to study the spatial distribution of Tenuipalpus heveae Baker in rubber tree plantations. The experimental area was located in Marinópolis, State of São Paulo, and corresponded to a total of 1,000 plants (clone RRIM 600) divided in 100 plots of ten plants each. A total of 16 samplings were conducted, approximately once every 10 days, between December 2007 and June 2008. On each date, samples were taken from two plants per plot, each sample corresponding to the top 30 cm of a branch randomly taken from the median region of the canopy of each plant. The number of T. heveae was evaluated on three leaflets randomly taken from each sample, using a 20x power pocket magnifying glass. The number of mites was evaluated in two areas of 1 cm² delimited on the lower surface of each leaflet, being one along the midrib and the other along a lateral vein. The calculated dispersion indexes were: variance/mean relationship (I), index of Morisita (I´), coefficient of Green (Cx) and k exponent of negative binomial distribution. Tenuipalpus heveae showed aggregate distribution. The negative binomial distribution model was the most appropriate to represent the spatial distribution of the mite in the rubber tree plantation.

This paper presents the morphological, histological and ultrastructural characteristics of Myxobolus oliveirai sp. nov., a parasite of the gill filaments in Brycon hilarii from the Brazilian Pantanal. Out of 216 B. hilariispecimens examined (126 wild and 90 cultivated), 38.1% of wild specimens (n = 48) were infected. The parasites form elongated plasmodia primarily in the tip of gill filaments, reaching about 3 mm in length. A thorough comparison with all the Myxobolus species described from South American hosts, as well as nearly all the Myxobolus species described so far is provided. Partial sequencing of the 18S rDNA gene revealed a total of 1,527 bp. The Myxobolus species parasite of B. hilarii did not match any of the Myxozoa available in GenBank. In the phylogenetic analysis, M. oliveirai sp. nov. composed a monophyletic group with eight other species: five species of Myxobolus parasites of mugilid fishes, two parasites of pangasiid and one of centrarchid. Infection prevalence values of the parasite revealed no significant differences between wet and dry seasons or between males and females. The importance of the infection to the farming of the host species is emphasized.

A cultura do pessegueiro é bastante suscetível ao ataque de insetos praga e doenças. Para evitar prejuízos na produção, os persicultores utilizam agrotóxicos. Os objetivos deste trabalho foram caracterizar as propriedades e obter dados para melhor diagnosticar a realidade sobre a exposição ocupacional a agrotóxicos na cultura do pessegueiro. O estudo baseou-se em entrevistas espontâneas, realizadas nas propriedades rurais, junto a 135 persicultores. Os resultados mostram que, de modo geral, a cultura do pessegueiro é praticada em pequenas propriedades, onde a mão-de-obra predominante é a familiar. A aquisição dos agrotóxicos é feita junto a lojas credenciadas, porém, sem receituário agronômico. Entre os agrotóxicos citados, destacam-se o fungicida Carbendazin (Derosal 500) e o inseticida (Perfekthion), que não são registrados para a cultura do pessegueiro. A utilização de equipamento de proteção individual (EPI) padrão é uma prática incomum entre os aplicadores.

The peach culture is extremely susceptible to the attack of pests and diseases. Aiming to avoid yield losses, peach growers apply pesticides. The objective of this research was to characterize some farms and obtain data to better diagnose the reality about the occupational exposition to pesticides in the peach culture. The methodology was based on spontaneous interviews carried out on farms with 135 peach growers. The results show that in general the peach culture is practiced on small farms where the predominant labor comes from the family. The purchase of agrochemicals is made via accredited shops, but without an agronomic prescription. Among the cited pesticides, the fungicide Carbendazim (Derosal 500) and insecticide (Perfekthion) are not labeled in Brazil for the peach culture. The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) standard is an uncommon practice among applicators.

A toxicidade de dezesseis formulações comerciais de produtos fitossanitários utilizados na cultura do pessegueiro foi avaliada para adultos de Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879 (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). Os experimentos foram desenvolvidos utilizando-se a metodologia padrão da International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants, West Palaearctic Regional Section (IOBC/WPRS), em condições de laboratório, sob temperatura de 25 ± 1 ºC, umidade relativa de 70 ± 10% e fotofase de 14 horas. Os testes consistiram na exposição de adultos do parasitóide a resíduos secos dos produtos fitossanitários pulverizados sobre placas de vidro e mensuração do número de ovos parasitados por fêmea. Reduções no número de ovos parasitados por fêmea de T. pretiosum em relação à testemunha (somente água) foram utilizadas para classificar os produtos segundo a IOBC/WPRS nas classes: 1, inócuo (<30%); 2, levemente nocivo (30-79%); 3, moderadamente nocivo (80-99%) e 4, nocivo (>99%). Os fungicidas (g ingrediente ativo 100 L-1 de água) cálcio + cobre (40+100), dodina (79), folpete (125), iprodione (75), mancozebe (160), mancozebe + óxicloreto de cobre (88+60) e triforina (24) e o inseticida teflubenzurom (3,75) foram inócuos (classe 1); o fungicida tebuconazol (20) e óleo mineral (800) foram levemente nocivos (classe 2); o fungicida-acaricida enxofre (480) e o herbicida glufosinato de amônio (200) foram moderadamente nocivos (classe 3); os inseticidas espinosade (6), fenitrotiona (75), fosmete (100) e malationa (200) foram nocivos (classe 4) a T. pretiosum.

The toxicity of sixteen commercial formulations of pesticides used in peach orchard was assessed on adults of Trichogramma pretiosum Riley, 1879 (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae). The experiments were carried out using the International Organization for Biological and Integrated Control of Noxious Animals and Plants, West Palaearctic Regional Section (IOBC/WPRS) standard methodology, under laboratory conditions at temperature of 25±1ºC, relative humidity of 70±10% and 14h photophase. The tests were carried out by exposing the adult parasitoids to fresh dry pesticide film applied on glass plates and assessed for the number of eggs parasitized by T. pretiosum adult female. Reduction in capacity of parasitism of T. pretiosum female compared with the control (treated with water) was used to measure the effect of the chemical. Pesticides were then classified into four categories, according to the reduction in parasitization (IOBC/WPRS): 1, harmless (<30%); 2, slightly harmful (30-79%); 3, moderately harmful (80-99%); 4, harmful (>99%). The fungicides (g of the active ingredient/100L of water) calcium + copper (40+100), dodine (79), folpet (125), iprodion (75), mancozeb (160), mancozeb + copper oxichloride (88+60) and triforine (24) and the insecticide teflubenzuron (3.75) were considered harmless (class 1); the fungicide tebuconazol (20) and the mineral oil (800) were slightly harmful (class 2); the fungicide-acaricide sulphur (480) and the herbicide glufosinate-ammonium (200) were moderately harmful (class 3); the insecticides fenitrothion (75), malathion (200), phosmet (100) and spinosad (6) were harmful (class 4) to T. pretiosum.