Visit of Dr. Ronald Ochoa to Biological Institute to help the development of research works on identification and characterization of mites

• Grant number: 11/01797-4
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International
• Start date: May 14, 2011
• End date: June 10, 2011
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Mário Eidi Sato
• Grantee: Mário Eidi Sato
• Visiting researcher: Ronald Ochoa
• Visiting researcher institution: Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville (ARS), United States
• Host Institution: Instituto Biológico (IB). Agência Paulista de Tecnologia dos Agronegócios (APTA)
• Associated research grant: 08/52691-9 - Management of citrus leprosis, AP.TEM

Abstract

During his visit to Brazil, in the period of May 14 to June 10, 2011, Dr. Ochoa will participate in the research activities related to the following projects: 1) Management of citrus leprosis (Process FAPESP 2008/52691-9) (Coordinator of subproject 9: Dr. Mário Eidi Sato - Biological Institute) ; 2) Mites in coffee agro-ecosystem: studies on the influence of leaf litter on mite community, interspecific interactions, susceptibility to agrochemicals and molecular characterization (Process FAPESP 2009/17804-0) (Coordinator: Dr. Mario E. Sato - Biological Institute); 3) Systematic, diversity and biology of plant mites from forest fragments and agricultural ecosystems (Process FAPESP 2006/57868-9) (Coordinator: Dr. Antonio Carlos Lofego - UNESP/São José do Rio Preto).During the period from May 14 to May 27, Dr. Ochoa will carry out research activities at the Laboratory of Acarology of Biological Institute, in Campinas City, State of São Paulo. The visit of Dr. Ochoa will be of fundamental importance for the identification and morphological characterization of mites of the families Tenuipalpidae (e.g.: Brevipalpus, Tenuipalpus, Priscapalpus); and Tarsonemidae (e.g.: Tarsonemus, Fungitarsonemus, Daidalotarsonemus, Ununguitarsonemus), collected from citrus and coffee agroecosystems (Projects: 1 and 2).Beyond the activities of identification of mites, Dr. Ochoa will help us in the training (in taxonomy of mites) of several students of master and doctor´s course, who are carrying out the dissertation and thesis works at the Laboratory of Acarology of Biological Institute.Dr. Ochoa will present a lecture in the discipline of "Insects, mites and nematodes in Agriculture and livestock", of the Post-Graduation Course of Biological Institute (date: May 20).It is programmed a visit of Dr. Ochoa to the Department of Entomology and Acarology of ESALQ/USP (date: May 23), in Piracicaba City, in order to discuss research works involving identification and characterization of mites, in the presence of the professors Dr. Gilberto José de Moraes, Dr. Carlos Holger Wenzel Flechtmann, Dr. Italo Delalibera Jr., Dr. Celso Omoto and Dr. Elliot Watanabe Kitajima. Dr. Kitajima is the general coordinator of the Thematic Project of FAPESP on management of citrus leprosis.Furthermore, Dr. Ochoa will present a lecture on "Mite biodiversity under the low temperature scanning electron microscope", during the III Brazilian Symposium of Acarology, to be held in Campinas City, from May 25 to 27, 2011.From May 28 to June 09, 2011, Dr. Ochoa will be in São José do Rio Preto City, developing activities in identification and characterization of mites, at UNESP. The mites to be identified are from the surveys carried out in agricultural ecosystems and forest fragments, related to the project 3 (above mentioned), under the coordination of Dr. Antonio Carlos Lofego. In this period, Dr. Ochoa will also participate in the training of students of graduation and post-graduation courses at UNESP.Dr. Ochoa will return to Campinas City, on June 10, 2011, in order to take flight to USA (Washington, DC) from Viracopos international airport (Campinas). (AU)