Immunology defense system in insects: an approach in velvetbean catterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), AgMNPV-resistant

Abstract

The insects occupy almost all ecological niches and are constantly exposed to the attack of innumerable natural enemies, many of which are potentially pathogenic. To survive to these attacks, the insects had developed efficient defense systems, represented by outer cuticle, the digestory system and hemolymph cells, the hemocytes, that promote cellular defense. The velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis, as soybean pest crop, demand 60% of the insecticide applications in the national soybean crops. With the more and more use of the nucleopolihedrovirus Baculovirus anticarsia aiming at its control, studies involving the foreing body recognition and its destruction by the defense systems together with the appearance of resistant strains caterpillar are supports for methodologies that become the control of this more efficient, until as prevention for the appearing of caterpillar naturally resistant in the field.