His career was devoted principally to diseases of tropical fruit crops. In the last 40 years his research has focused primarily on epidemiology, resistance, host–pathogen interaction, and diseases management on papaya, pineapple and bananas. He was Technical Director from 1995 to 1999 and Head of Research at Incaper from 2000 to 2016. He was honored by SBF in 1995 with the plant pathology award, and in 2006 with the Embrapa Frederico de Meneses Veiga national award for his relevant research with diseases on tropical fruits. Also he was granted the research productivity award from the National Council for Scientific Technological Research (PQ). Dr. Ventura is a member of the Brazilian Phytopathological Society and The American Phytopatological Society (APS).
EDUCATION
He received his M.Sc and Ph.D degrees in Plant Pathology from the Department of Plant Pathology at Federal University of Viçosa, Brazil.
Senior research plant pathologist at Capixaba Institute of Research, Technical Assistance and Rural Extension (Incaper), and Professor of plant biotechnology in the Federal University of Espírito Santo (Ufes) at the Agribusiness Biotechnology Nucleus and Plant Biology, Brazil.
RESEARCH, TEACHING, or OTHER INTERESTS
Agricultural and Biological Sciences, Biotechnology, Plant Science
Control of Colletotrichum plurivorum on Papaya Using a Nanoemulsion of Schinus terebinthifolia (Pink Pepper) Essential Oil Nataly Senna Gerhardt Barraqui, Plúcia Franciane Ataide Rodrigues, Ana Gabriele Gurgel Amaral, Marcos Paz Saraiva Câmara, José Aires Ventura, Hildegardo Seibert França Journal of Phytopathology, 2026 Schinus terebinthifolia , a plant which is widely distributed throughout South America, is commonly known as pink pepper or Brazilian peppertree. Its essential oil has demonstrated antioxidant, wound‐healing, antibacterial and antifungal properties. To enhance its antifungal potential, nanoemulsions of S. terebinthifolia essential oil were prepared to assess their antifungal effect on Colletotrichum plurivorum , the causal agent of anthracnose in papaya. To achieve this, in vitro assays were evaluated to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the nanoemulsion using 96‐well microplates and petri dishes. Subsequently, the most effective concentrations were tested in vivo on papaya fruits under both preventive and curative conditions. The in vitro results indicated that the S. terebinthifolia essential oil nanoemulsion inhibited the growth of C. plurivorum . In vivo evaluations on papaya fruits inoculated with C. plurivorum revealed that the nanoemulsion reduced both lesion size and disease incidence, demonstrating preventive and curative effects. The use of S. terebinthifolia essential oil nanoemulsions proved to be an innovative and effective post‐harvest strategy for the control of papaya anthracnose at concentrations of 0.13% and 0.26%, showing promising results for the management of C. plurivorum infections.
Studies on the Differentiation of Transient Chlorophyll a Fluorescence Signals in Papaya Plants Showing Symptoms and Without Symptoms in the Presence of PRSV-P and PMeV Viruses Weverton Pereira de Medeiros, Oeber de Freitas Quadros, Sabrina Garcia Broetto, José Aires Ventura, Diolina Moura Silva Plants, 2025 Viral infections represent a critical threat to cultivated plant species. In papaya cultivation, two viral diseases—papaya mosaic (caused by papaya ringspot virus type P—PRSV-P) and papaya sticky disease (caused by a virus complex of papaya meleira virus—PMeV, and papaya meleira virus—PMeV2)—are prevalent and capable of devastating entire plantations, incurring substantial economic losses. Current diagnostic practices rely on visual identification of symptoms and elimination of infected plants (roguing). Monitoring photosynthetic efficiency in orchards prone to PRSV-P and PMeV2 coinfection may allow early intervention, mitigating productivity losses and reducing fruit quality. This study aimed to evaluate chlorophyll a fluorescence as a biomarker for photosynthetic impairment and symptom severity in papaya infected with PRSV-P and/or PMeV2 and to explore the feasibility of early detection of the infection by these dual pathogens, as an exploratory study under field conditions. Chlorophyll a fluorescence revealed details about the physiology of plants coinfected with the complex of PMeV2 and PRSV-P: the electron motive force within PSII decreases in infected plants and in those without visual symptoms of infection, being proportional to the age and developmental stage of the plants. A slowdown in the multiple electron transfer turnover of PSII and a decrease in the efficiency of the redox reactions of photosystem I were observed in plants with or without visual detection of infection. The evidence generated suggests that the chlorophyll a fluorescence technique can be used to monitor the pathophysiological state of plants under biotic stress.
Leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) associated with papaya and the first record of Empoasca prona Davidson and DeLong infesting the plant1 David dos Santos Martins, Edwin Ernesto Dominguez Nuñez, Renan Batista Queiroz, Maurício José Fornazier, Mark Paul Culik, José Aires Ventura Pesquisa Agropecuaria Tropical, 2025 The commercial production of papaya is severely impacted by diseases caused by phytoplasmas and viruses transmitted by insect vectors such as leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). This study documents the first world record of the Empoasca pronaDavidson & DeLong, 1940, cicadellids species on papaya and increases the known geographic distribution of the only other leafhopper species that occurs on papaya in Brazil, Empoasca bordiaLanglitz, 1964. A complete list of leafhopper species that have been recorded on papaya in the world is also presented, including information on their geographic distribution and potential diseases they transmit to papaya.
Natural flowering control of pineapple ‘Pérola’ and ‘Vitória’ using aviglycine hydrochloride Andrea Pires, Laís Fontana Silva, Thayanne Rangel Ferreira, Jeane Crasque, Basílio Cerri Neto, Lúcio de Oliveira Arantes, Edilson Romais Schmildt, José Aires Ventura, Vinicius de Souza Oliveira, Sara Dousseau-Arantes Frontiers in Plant Science, 2025 IntroductionAviglycine hydrochloride (Aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG)) is an ethylene synthesis inhibitor recommended worldwide for controlling natural flowering of pineapple plants. However, the recommended dose depends on the environment, genotype and age of the plant. The objective was to evaluate the effect of AVG concentration in three application periods for controlling flowering in ‘Pérola’ (susceptible to fusariosis) and ‘Vitória’ (resistant to fusariosis) pineapple plants.MethodsThe study was conducted in the field in the municipality of Sooretama, Espírito Santo-ES, Brazil. The experimental design used was randomized blocks in a 3×3+1 factorial scheme, consisting of three concentrations (100, 200 and 400 mg L-1) and three application times (April–July, May–July and June–July), with four replicates. The control was the plants without application. Flowering, phytotoxicity, morphological characteristics of plants, photosynthetic pigments, carbohydrate allocation and physical-chemical characteristics of fruits were evaluated.ResultsAVG controlled natural flowering in both pineapple cultivars and the effect was proportional to the increase in concentration. Increasing the concentration and number of applications induced phytotoxic effects and reductions in starch and photosynthetic pigment contents in the leaves, also reducing vegetative development and fruit weight. The cultivar Pérola was more susceptible to natural flowering control, with a longer period of floral inhibition and reduction in vegetative and reproductive development when 400 mg L-1 was applied.DiscussionTherefore, we recommend that AVG be applied at a concentration of 100 mg L-1 before the climatic conditions for natural floral induction occur, which in the case of the northern coast of Espírito Santo, Brazil, occurs between June and July, and can extend until August, if nighttime temperatures are below 20 °C, being responsible for controlling natural flowering by 80%.
A Capsid Protein Fragment of a Fusagra-like Virus Found in Carica papaya Latex Interacts with the 50S Ribosomal Protein L17 Marlonni Maurastoni, Tathiana F. Sá Antunes, Emanuel F. M. Abreu, Simone G. Ribeiro, Angela Mehta, Marcio M. Sanches, Wagner Fontes, Elliot W. Kitajima, Fabiano T. Cruz, Alexandre M. C. Santos, Jose A. Ventura, Ana C. M. M. Gomes, F. Murilo Zerbini, Patricia Sosa-Acosta, Fábio C. S. Nogueira, Silas P. Rodrigues, Francisco J. L. Aragão, Anna E. Whitfield, Patricia M. B. Fernandes Viruses, 2023
Chemical composition and anti-Mayaro virus activity of Schinus terebinthifolius fruits Tiago S. Salles, Marcelo D. F. Meneses, Kristie A. Yamamoto, Thayane E. Sá-Guimarães, Lucio Ayres Caldas, Jessica H. S. Silva, Polianna da Silva Ferreira, Ana Claudia F. Amaral, José A. Ventura, Renata Campos Azevedo, Ricardo M. Kuster, Márcia R. Soares, Davis F. Ferreira Virusdisease, 2021
Stability of a Natural-Based Cream Containing Lecythis pisonis Extract Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2021
Battle of three: The curious case of papaya sticky disease Tathiana F. Sá Antunes, Marlonni Maurastoni, L. Johana Madroñero, Gabriela Fuentes, Jorge M. Santamaría, José Aires Ventura, Emanuel F. Abreu, A. Alberto R. Fernandes, Patricia M. B. Fernandes Plant Disease, 2020
Stability and Cytotoxicity of a Cosmetic Cream Containing Oil from Lecythis pisonis Cambess (Sapucaia) Nuts Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2020
Phytochemical profile of genotypes of Euterpe edulis Martius – Juçara palm fruits Maria E.S. Barroso, Bruno G. Oliveira, Elisângela F. Pimentel, Pedro M. Pereira, Fabiana G. Ruas, Tadeu U. Andrade, Dominik Lenz, Rodrigo Scherer, Marcio Fronza, José A. Ventura, Boniek G. Vaz, Tamara P. Kondratyuk, Wanderson Romão, Denise C. Endringer Food Research International, 2019
Epidemiologic analysis of temporal evolution of papaya sticky disease Fernando Carrara Cosmi, Kaique dos Santos Alves, Wanderson Bucker Moraes, José Aires Ventura, Simone de Paiva Caetano Bucker Moraes, Willian Bucker Moraes, Waldir Cintra de Jesus Júnior Summa Phytopathologica, 2017
Two New Neotropical Species of Midge (Díptera: Cecidomyiidae) Predators of Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) Journal of the Entomological Research Society, 2013
A new species of cecidomyiid (Diptera, Cecidomyiidae) predator associated with scale insect (Hemiptera, Coccoidea) pests of coffee Journal of the Entomological Research Society, 2012