RESUMO
Bumblebees are essential insects for the preservation of biodiversity in many ecosystems, as they can pollinate a wide variety of wild and cultivated plants. Knowledge of the genetic diversity of bumblebees can be used to understand and predict the health status of bee populations, enabling the development of strategies for crop management and conservation of this important group of pollinators. Here, we characterized the genetic diversity of B. morio populations from the Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, by amplification of the partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I gene. The resulting data were then compared with genetic parameters of Bombus morio (Swederus 1787) obtained in populations from this species' full geographic range in South America. Our results revealed the presence of nine mitochondrial haplotypes in Rio Grande do Sul, three of which were novel haplotypes, and of significant genetic divergence among bumblebee populations from Brazil and South America. The mitochondrial haplotype BM01 was the most common and is probably the ancestral haplotype from which the others originated. There is also evidence that strong gene flow has taken place among Brazilian B. morio populations, explaining the sharing of haplotypes between distant populations. The populations of B. morio from Rio Grande do Sul present significant genetic diversity as the species is native to Southern/Southeastern Brazil and adapted to the ecological conditions in this wide range. Having well-connected populations with a large genetic potential will help this species to remain well adapted to the different environmental conditions within its native range.
Assuntos
Ecossistema , Fluxo Gênico , Abelhas/genética , Animais , Brasil , Haplótipos , Variação GenéticaRESUMO
Leaf diseases affect crop yields. In sunflower crops, leaf spot severity can reach 100%, but the magnitude of the yield loss caused by the disease is not known. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Alternaria and Septoria leaf spot severity on sunflower yield across different years in a humid subtropical climate. We conducted 37 experiments in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil, over 7 years. The hybrids Embrapa 122, Helio 358, Aguará 03, and Altis 99 were sowed and managed according to national crop recommendations. Severity assessments for Alternaria and Septoria spots were performed at 2- to 7-day intervals using a diagrammatic scale. We evaluated the effects of Alternaria and Septoria leaf spot severity on crop yield using upper limit graphs. The 37 experiments comprised 13 normal season crops (August to October) and 24 late season crops (November to February). The results were also classified according to the contemporaneous phases of the ENSO (El Niño Southern Oscillation): El Niño, La Niña, and Neutral. In normal season crops, severities of up to 24% do not result in yield decrease. After this, each 1% increment in disease severity produces a decrease of 66 kg ha-1 on sunflower yield. In late season crops, the reduction in productivity occurs at severities greater than 34%, with a decrease of 50 kg ha-1 for each 1% increase in combined disease severity. The highest severity values and lowest yields, both in the normal and late season crops, occurred in El Niño years.