AVALIAÇÃO DA EFICÁCIA DE ALGODÃO BT A Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. SMITH, 1797) (lepidoptera: noctuidae)

Abstract

Cotton cultivation has high economic importance in Brazil and is frequently affected by insect pests that compromise productivity, especially the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, due to its high damage potential and wide adaptive capacity. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of cotton biotechnologies against Spodoptera frugiperda in the western region of Bahia. The bioassays were conducted at Instituto Federal Goiano – Campus Posse, under laboratory conditions, using both field and susceptible reference populations. Newly hatched larvae up to 24 hours old were exposed to leaves and bolls of Bacillus thuringiensis cotton and conventional cotton. Larval survival and mortality were evaluated throughout the exposure period, resulting in high efficiency of the transgenic cultivars, with a progressive increase in larval mortality over time. It is concluded that the evaluated technologies are effective in controlling the pest, contributing to the reduction of crop damage; however, the adoption of resistance management strategies, combined with continuous population monitoring, is essential to ensure the durability of these technologies and the sustainability of the production system