Fungos entomopatogênicos combinados com inseticidas químicos no manejo de mosca-branca em soja

Abstract

Soybean is the main agricultural crop produced and exported by Brazil, and the whitefly is one of the main pests of this crop. Its control is carried out mainly with chemical insecticides, which has resulted in an increase in the number of sprays and evolution towards resistant populations. There is a need to study alternatives for the control of this insect, and biological control with entomopathogenic fungi can be an effective mean, offering less risk to the environment. This study aimed to design and evaluate four management programs in two soybean cropping seasons, including two integrated management alternatives (a spray of chemical insecticide intercalated with a spray of biological insecticide formulated with entomopathogenic fungi), a conventional chemical management alternative and a biological control alternative. Two sequential sprays 10 days apart were performed for each program, and the results of ANOVA and Scott-Knott test (P≤0.05) revealed differences between treatments. It was found that the integrated management consisting of a sequential spray of chemical insecticide followed by a biological spray stood out as the best control option, presenting an average of 72% of control efficacy for adults and 44% for nymphs. Therefore, the integrated management of both insecticide tools can be an excellent alternative for whitefly control in soybean.