Ants as biological indicators in sugarcane: pre-sprouted seedlings planting system (PSS) versus ratoon cane with vinasse

• Grant number: 16/02676-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: April 01, 2016
• End date: February 28, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Zoology - Applied Zoology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Santina de Castro Morini
• Grantee: Otávio Guilherme Morais da Silva
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria Acadêmica. Universidade de Mogi das Cruzes (UMC). Campus da Sede Mogi das Cruzes. Mogi das Cruzes , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 12/50197-2 - Action of products used in cultivation of sugar cane on non-target organisms, AP.BIOEN.TEM

Abstract

Brazil is a typical agricultural country and sugarcane one of the main crops. This agribusiness has important role in national and global socioeconomic scenario causing a constant search for techniques that add the concepts of sustainability throughout the supply chain. However, chemical inputs have also been increasingly applied to control of weeds and insects. On the other hand, new crop techniques are developed for production decreases losses as a whole and thereby contributes to the environment. Among these, there is the application of vinasse, whose influence on the soil fauna is theme for discussion, and the use of sugarcane pre-sprouted seedlings planting which has developed from 2013 to contribute to the rapid production of seedlings, combining high standards of plant health, vigor and planting uniformity. This system does not use vinasse. As this is an under-used technique, there is no information about the communities of ants foraging in these cultivars. Thus, the purpose of this study is to evaluate the communities of these biomarker insects. In addition, this work shows the first field results in the on these communities when there is no fipronil or vinasse application in PSS system. It is expected that this project contributes to the decision making for the control of soil pests, with techniques of low environmental impact and, above all, not causing reduction of important ecological activities as currently discussed with regard to fertigation with vinasse.