Abstract
The objective of this work was to evaluate the biological variables of Spodoptera frugiperda on species of cover crops. The experiments were conducted in laboratory and greenhouse using the following species: sunflower ( Helianthus annuus ) , sun hemp ( Crotalaria juncea ) , brachiaria ( Brachiaria decumbens e Brachiaria ruziziensis ) , millet ( Pennisetum americanum ) , black oat ( Avena stringosa ) , white lupin ( Lupinus albus ), forage turnip ( Rafanus sativus ) and maize ( Zea mays ) . In laboratory the S. frugiperda larval survival varied from 57%, on L. albus, to 93% on H. annuus and the survival of the pre-imaginal phase varied from 45% on B. decumbens to 81.6% on Z. mays . On C. juncea the larval biomass was lower and the development period of the young and larval stage was higher. The adaptation index was less on C. juncea in greenhouse and laboratory . In greenhouse the larval survival at 14 days was similar for all plants and at 21 days was the lowest on C. juncea. There was less accumulation of biomass at 14 days on C. juncea and at 21 days on C. juncea and A. stringosa . Regarding damage, C. juncea presented less susceptibility to Spodoptera frugiperda attack, which together with the other evaluated parameters, indicated this plant as the most appropriate for soil cover before cultivation of maize.
Highlights
The search for sustainable solutions in agriculture has been stimulated in Brazil (FALEIROS, 2011)
Laboratory bioassays To obtain the leaves used in feeding caterpillars, cover crops were sown in the experimental field of Embrapa Maize and Sorghum, Sete Lagoas - MG, located 19o28'30 '' latitude S, 44o15'08 '' W longitude and 732 meters above the sea level
The cover crops grown in the bioassays were the same used by Moreira et al (2014) to the central region of Minas Gerais: sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. - Compositae), sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L. - Leguminosae), brachiaria [Urochloa decumbens (Stapf) - Poaceae], millet [Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leek var
Summary
The search for sustainable solutions in agriculture has been stimulated in Brazil (FALEIROS, 2011). In this scenario, we highlight the low-carbon agriculture that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through more sustainable farming practices. The initiative consists of various mitigation techniques such as conservation tillage, which consists in sowing a crop of economic interest on the residue of the previous crop, improving the soil physical, chemical and biological properties (AZIS et al, 2013). No-tillage it is one way to improve physical, chemical and biological soil conditions. To secure system maintenance there is a need of cultivating cover crops, which precede the main crop and have physical protection function against soil erosion, germination of weed and soil water loss (BOER et al, 2007)
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