Influência do silício na suscetibilidade de Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) ao inseticida lufenuron e no desenvolvimento de plantas de milho

Abstract

With the objective of evaluating the effects of silicon in the efficiency of the insecticide lufenuron on the control of Spodoptera frugiperda and on the development of corn plants, two experiments were conducted, one being in laboratory and the other in the field. The treatments consisted of applications of silicic acid associated or not with different rates of the insecticide lufenuron. In the laboratory-conducted experiment, the completely randomized design in 2 x 3 factorial scheme (with or without silicon x rates of lufenuron) with five replicates was utilized, but the field experiment was in randomized blocks with six treatments in 2 x 3 factorial scheme (with and without silicon x dosages of lufenuron) and five replicates. In laboratory, the mortality of fall armyworm, both at 24 and 48h before the application of the insecticide and after application, was evaluated. The damages caused by the larvae and the agronomic characteristics of corn plants were also evaluate in the field. The results showed that silicon interacted positively with the insecticide lufenuron in the control of S. frugiperda, enabling a reduction of the insecticide dosage and it strengthened the plant structure for increasing the stem diameter.