Domesticação da saúva: ação de lectinas vegetais sobre a saúva do nordeste Atta opaciceps Borgmeier, 1939

Abstract

The surrounding leaf-cutting ant — environment interaction leads to the reflection on the applied methods of control for the atínio, Atta opaciceps Borgmeier, 1939 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), directing them for a study of the behavior and, possible domestication of the species. With these objectives scientific studies in artificial anthill had been developed, trying the evaluation of the action of the lectins of seeds of the leguminous Dioclea violacea and Vatairea macrocarpa, in different concentrations: 0,02; 0,06; 1,00; 1,50; 2,00 and 2,50 mg.ml-1, on the behavior of the northeast leaf-cutting ant, Atta opaciceps, in varied intervals of time. The first assay occurred in the lapse of one hour, from the 15 hours, of 10 in 10 minutes, a total of six analyzed times, culminating to the 16 hours. As the second assay was become fullfilled, subsequently, from the 16:10 hours, at intervals hourly, extending to the 21:10 hours, also consolidating six studied times. The treatments had been projected, in number of 14, with 3 repetitions, according to delineation entirely casualizado, of which 12 in function of lectinas (2) x doses (6) and the others (2) in function of the witnesses (treatments without the lectins). The filter paper was used as neutral substratum where if they had applied the treatments. The methodology statistics was based on models for measures repeated in the time and models for treatments you add. The reactions of the laborers of Atta opaciceps to the used treatments as source of stimulatons, had been analyzed in function of the time, doses, type of reply and average number of leaf-cutting ants, considering themselves the variable of the behavior: access to the provision area, marking of territory in the provision area, access to the filter paper, marking of territory in the area of the filter paper, exploration of the place of the treatment, conscription, beginning of the cut in the paper of filter, cut and transport and the development of the fungous garden. One evidenced that the lectins intervene with the standard of behavior of the species, stirring up the reactions of- attraction and search of provision, being the cut and the transport influenced by the doses of the lectins. The height of fungous garden also varies in function of the doses, verifying itself the probiótico effect on the same. The lectin of Vatairea macrocarpa, in dose 0,02 mg.ml-1, is preferred by the ant in referencia, therefore the most carried (61%). The time is inherent factor to all the analyzed variable of the behavior.