The caterpillar Helicoverpa armigera It is popularly known as the armigera caterpillar.
Its taxonomic classification:
- Animalia Kingdom
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Class: Insecta
- Order: Lepidoptera
- Family: Noctuidae
- Subfamily: Heliothinae
- Genre: helicoverpa
- Species: Helicoverpa armigera
Crops attacked
This pest has a high degree of polyphagy, attacking several crops of economic importance, including soybeans, corn, cotton, tomatoes, beans and sorghum.
Crops such as wheat, sunflowers, peanuts and vegetables can also be damaged.
Host choice may vary regionally in Brazil, influenced by agricultural practices and crop succession.
Biology
Helicoverpa armigera undergoes complete metamorphosis, with egg, larva, pupa and adult stages. The eggs are laid singly, mainly at night, and hatch in about 3 days.
The larval stage has six instars and is the most harmful. The larvae have variable coloration, which can influence their resistance capacity.
Pupae develop in the soil and may enter diapause.
The complete cycle can take 4 to 6 weeks, depending on weather conditions.
This pest has a high adaptive capacity:
- Rapidly develops resistance to insecticides (organophosphates, pyrethroids, carbamates).
- There are records of resistance to Bt proteins (such as Cry1Ac, Cry2Ab and Vip3A) in several parts of the world, including Brazil.
- It presents high genetic variability, which facilitates adaptations to different environments and selective pressures.
Ecology
This species has a wide geographical distribution, being recorded on several continents, including South America.
In Brazil, it was officially identified in 2013.
Adult moths are highly mobile and can migrate up to 1.000 km. Their ability to adapt and survive adverse conditions allows for several generations throughout the year.
Damage
The larvae cause significant damage, feeding on both vegetative and reproductive structures of plants.
They prefer flowers, fruits and pods, causing deformations, falls and rot. It is estimated that global losses due to H. armigera exceed 5 billion dollars annually.
In Brazil, severe attacks were recorded in several regions, leading to a reduction in the productivity of crops such as soybeans, corn and cotton.
Control
the management of Helicoverpa armigera requires integrated strategies:
- Monitoring: use of pheromone traps and regular plant inspections.
- Biological control: introduction of natural enemies, such as parasitoids and predators.
- Chemical control: judicious use of insecticides, prioritizing the fight against small caterpillars for greater effectiveness and less environmental impact.
- Transgenic plants: use of Bt varieties with adequate management of refuge areas.
- Cultural control: implementation of the sanitary gap to reduce the supply of hosts in the off-season.
- Alternative techniques: systems such as "push-pull" and male confusion traps can be complementary.
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