Ferreira-Filho Pedro J, Wilcken Carlos F, Neves Daniela A, Pogetto Mario H F A D, Carmo Janaina B, Guerreiro Julio C, Serrão José E, Zanuncio José C
Departamento de Ciências Ambientais, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Rodovia João Leme dos Santos, Km 110-SP 264, Itinga, 18052-780, Sorocaba, São Paulo State, Brasil.
Departamento de Produção Vegetal, Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas, 18610-307, Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brasil.
J Econ Entomol. 2015 Jun;108(3):1124-8. doi: 10.1093/jee/tov066. Epub 2015 Mar 31.
Genus Atta includes some of the most important Formicidae leaf cutter ants which cause extensive damage to the eucalyptus plantations. Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel, one of the chief pests in Brazilian reforestation, can restrict and reduce forest productivity by its intense and constant leaf-cutting activities on plants at all stages. Therefore, the demand for new products to control A. sexdens rubropilosa indicates the study of the utilization of the dry powder formulation of diatomaceous earth (DE) against this pest in the eucalyptus cultivars. The study was conducted using 120 colonies of A. sexdens rubropilosa in Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex. Maiden x Eucalyptus urophylla Blake (Myrtaceae) (urograndis) stand. The randomized block experimental design was used with six treatments (1, 10, 25, and 50 g/m2 of DE, 6.0 g/m2 sulfluramid bait per square meter of loose soil, and the control) with five replications, each with four colonies of this ant. Diatomaceous earth was applied to the active A. sexdens rubropilosa ant holes, and the sulfluramid bait was applied in bulk in a localized manner. The control efficacy of A. sexdens rubropilosa with DE was low, showing values similar to that of the control, and, for this reason, it cannot be used to control this ant. The bait with sulfluramid showed higher efficacy than those of the other treatments.
切叶蚁属包含一些最重要的蚁科切叶蚁，它们会对桉树林造成广泛破坏。Atta sexdens rubropilosa Forel是巴西造林中的主要害虫之一，其在植物生长的各个阶段持续且高强度的切叶活动会限制并降低森林生产力。因此，对控制Atta sexdens rubropilosa的新产品的需求表明需要研究利用硅藻土干粉制剂来防治桉树林中的这种害虫。该研究在Eucalyptus grandis Hill ex. Maiden x Eucalyptus urophylla Blake（桃金娘科）（尾叶桉×巨桉）林分中使用了120个Atta sexdens rubropilosa蚁群进行。采用随机区组试验设计，设置六个处理（每平方米松散土壤中分别施加1、10、25和50克硅藻土、6.0克氟虫胺诱饵，以及对照），每个处理重复五次，每次重复包含四个该蚁群。将硅藻土施用于活跃的Atta sexdens rubropilosa蚁穴，氟虫胺诱饵则集中局部施用。硅藻土对Atta sexdens rubropilosa的防治效果较低，与对照效果相近，因此不能用于防治这种蚂蚁。含氟虫胺的诱饵比其他处理表现出更高的防治效果。
