BIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT AND TYPES OF REPRODUCTION OF SCHIZOTETRANYCHUS SACHARUM (ACARI: TRATRANYCHIDAE) IN SUGAR CANE.

• Grant number: 22/08080-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: August 01, 2022
• End date: July 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Plant Health
• Principal Investigator: Daniel Júnior de Andrade
• Grantee: Gabriel Ramos
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Brazil is the world's largest producer of ethanol and sugar produced from the sugarcane Sacharum officinarum L. However, the phytophagous mite Schizotetranychus sacharum (Acari: Tetranychidae) has occurred in population outbreaks in the sugarcane crop in different regions of the State of São Paulo. The biological development of S. sacharum has not been properly studied, as well as there is no information about the possible types of reproduction of this species. Therefore, the objective of the project will be to study the biological development and types of reproduction of S. sacharum in sugarcane. The work will be carried out at the Acarology Laboratory (AcaroLab) of the Faculty of Agrarian and Veterinary Sciences, Jaboticabal campus (UNESP/FCAV). Initially, a stock breeding of S. sacharum mites collected in commercial sugarcane areas will be established. The biological cycle of the mite will be studied under controlled conditions and the duration of the developmental stages will be determined. Eggs will be obtained from adult females that will be placed in experimental units for laying. Adult females will remain on the leaves for 12 hours for oviposition. 100 experimental units will be used (n = 100). In the daily observations the stages of development will be determined. Data will be analyzed using the TWOSEXMSChart software. One more experiment will be carried out in order to verify the type(s) of reproduction of S. sacharum (sexual and/or asexual). In this step, 100 unmated females obtained from the F1 generation will be evaluated.