Correction to: Orius laevigatus strengthens its role as a biological control agent by inducing plant defenses

AbstractPhymastichus coffea LaSalle (Hymenoptera:Eulophidae) is an adult endoparasitoid of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera:Curculionidae:Scolytinae), which has been introduced in many coffee producing countries as a biological control agent. To determine the effectiveness of P. coffea against H. hampei and environmental safety for release in Hawaii, we investigated the host selection and parasitism response of adult females to 43 different species of Coleoptera, including 23 Scolytinae (six Hypothenemus species and 17 others), and four additional Curculionidae. Non-target testing included Hawaiian endemic, exotic and beneficial coleopteran species. Using a no-choice laboratory bioassay, we demonstrated that P. coffea was only able to parasitize the target host H. hampei and four other adventive species of Hypothenemus: H. obscurus, H. seriatus, H. birmanus and H. crudiae. Hypothenemus hampei had the highest parasitism rate and shortest parasitoid development time of the five parasitized Hypothenemus spp. Parasitism and parasitoid emergence decreased with decreasing phylogenetic relatedness of the Hypothenemus spp. to H. hampei, and the most distantly related species, H. eruditus, was not parasitized. These results suggest that the risk of harmful non-target impacts is low because there are no native species of Hypothenemus in Hawaii, and P. coffea could be safely introduced for classical biological control of H. hampei in Hawaii.

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Pathogenicity of Pakistani isolates of Steinernema bifurcatum and S. affine (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) in management of stored grain pests Lasioderma serricorne and Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Ptinidae, Tenebrionidae)

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control ◽

10.1186/s41938-021-00418-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Tabassum Ara Khanum ◽

Salma Javed

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Tribolium Castaneum ◽

Biological Control Agent ◽

Economic Loss ◽

Research Area ◽

Control Agent ◽

Lasioderma Serricorne ◽

Stored Grain ◽

Insect Infestations ◽

Stored Grain Pests

Abstract Background Stored grain products suffer a considerable economic loss due to insect infestations. The resistance of pests to insecticide, and residues on crops are produced by the application of insecticide. Nowadays, incremental necessity has been occurred to find out alternatives to chemicals. As biological control agents, entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) attract attention increasingly in the research area recently. Results The aim of the study was to evaluate the pathogenicity of Pakistani isolates Steinernema bifurcatum and S. affine against the stored grain pests, Tribolium castaneum and Lasioderma serricorne, under laboratory conditions. Suspensions of nematodes were applied at 4 different concentrations 0, 50, 100, and 200 IJs/ml and 3 variable temperatures 15, 30, and 45°C. Pathogenicity rate was recorded after 48 h of application. The larval stage is found more susceptible than the adult. At 200 IJs, S. bifurcatum showed high mortality of L. serricorne larva (92%) and T. castaneum larva (93%), whereas S. affine showed 90 and 95% mortality of L. serricorne and T. castaneum larva, respectively, at 200 IJs. The results revealed that both species of EPN were able to control and reproduce on L. serricorne and T. castaneum. Maximum mortality was recorded at 45 °C from S. bifurcatum whereas S. affine at 15 °C. Conclusions Therefore, S. bifurcatum and S. affine could be suggested as a biological control agent for hot and cold climatic zones, respectively.

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