Is classical biological control against western corn rootworm in Europe a potential sustainable management strategy?

Author(s):  
U. Kuhlmann ◽  
S. Toepfer ◽  
Z Feng
EDIS ◽  
1969 ◽  
Vol 2005 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Alison Walker ◽  
Marjorie Hoy ◽  
Dale Meyerdirk

The papaya mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink, is a small hemipteran that attacks several genera of host plants, including economically important tropical fruits and ornamentals. The papaya mealybug was discovered in Manatee and Palm Beach counties in Florida in 1998 and subsequently spread rapidly to several other Florida counties. It potentially poses a multi-million dollar threat to numerous agricultural products in Florida, as well as other states, if not controlled. Biological control was identified as a key component in a management strategy for the papaya mealybug, and a classical biological control program was initiated as a joint effort between the US Department of Agriculture, Puerto Rico Department of Agriculture, and Ministry of Agriculture in the Dominican Republic in 1999. This document is EENY-302, one of a series of Featured Creatures from the Entomology and Nematology Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Published: August 2003.  EENY302/IN579: Papaya Mealybug, Paracoccus marginatus Williams and Granara de Willink (Insecta: Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) (ufl.edu)


1995 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 173-173
Author(s):  
A. M. Journey ◽  
K. R. Ostlie

2005 ◽  
Vol 95 (5) ◽  
pp. 473-482 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Toepfer ◽  
C. Gueldenzoph ◽  
R.-U. Ehlers ◽  
U. Kuhlmann

AbstractEntomopathogenic nematode species available in Europe were screened for their efficacy against both the root-feeding larvae and silk-feeding adults of the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte. Laboratory screening tests were aimed at the selection of candidate biological control agents for the management of this invasive alien pest in Europe. Steinernema glaseri, S. arenarium, S. abassi, S. bicornutum, S. feltiae, S. kraussei, S. carpocapsae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora were studied to determine their virulence against third instar larvae and adults of D. v. virgifera in small-volume arenas (using nematode concentrations of 0.5, 0.8, 7.9 and 15.9 infective juveniles cm–2). All nematode species were able to invade and propagate in D. v. virgifera larvae, but adults were rarely infected. At concentrations of 7.9 and 15.9 cm–2, S. glaseri, S. arenarium, S. abassi and H. bacteriophora caused the highest larval mortality of up to 77%. Steinernema bicornutum, S. abassi, S. carpocapsae and H. bacteriophora appeared to have a high propagation level, producing 5970±779, 5595±811, 5341±1177 and 4039±1025 infective juveniles per larva, respectively. Steinernema glaseri, S. arenarium, S. feltiae, S. kraussei and H. bacteriophora were further screened at a concentration of 16.7 nematodes cm–2 against third instar larvae in medium-volume arenas (sand-filled trays with maize plants). Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, S. arenarium and S. feltiae caused the highest larval mortality with 77±16.6%, 67±3.5%, and 57±17.1%, respectively. In a next step, criteria for rating the entomopathogenic nematode species were applied based on results obtained for virulence and propagation, and for current production costs and availability in Europe. These criteria were then rated to determine the potential of the nematodes for further field testing. Results showed the highest potential in H. bacteriophora, followed by S. arenarium and S. feltiae, for further testing as candidate biological control agents.


2018 ◽  
Vol 111 (1) ◽  
pp. 161
Author(s):  
Špela MODIC ◽  
Primož ŽIGON ◽  
Aleš KOLMANIČ ◽  
Tone GODEŠA ◽  
Jaka RAZINGER

<p>The Western Corn Rootworm (WCR), <em>Diabrotica virgifera virgifera</em> LeConte, 1868, [Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae], whose larvae cause damage to maize roots, is an important economic insect pest in America and Europe. Its larvae are usually controlled by granular soil insecticides or insecticide-treated seeds. Biological control options, such as entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) have played an important role as an alternative for synthetic chemical insecticides. Therefore, for the WCR larvae control we compared the effectiveness of inundative biological control on the basis of EPN <em>Heterorhabditis bacteriophora</em> Poinar, 1976 (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae); (commercial product Dianem<sup>®</sup>) and the conventional insecticides Force 1.5 g (active substance tefluthrin) from the group of synthetic pyrethriods and Sonido (active substance thiacloprid) from the group of neonicotinoids. Field experiments were carried out at geographically different locations under different population pressure of the insect pest in a), Bučečovci (Prlekija; Eastern Slovenia) and b), Šmartno (Gorenjska: northern Slovenia). The differences between the treatments were very similar at both locations; although the population of WCR in Gorenjska was approximately 5-fold lower than in Prlekija. The highest number of WCR beetles was caught in the negative control, followed by the product Sonido, Force and Dianem<sup>®</sup>, in decreasing order. Statistical analysis showed that only in the treatment where EPN were used, significantly less WCR was caught than in the control. The results of the WCR larvae control in maize using <em>Heterorhabditis bacteriophora</em> are comparable to published literature. However, the weather conditions in the 2016 trial were very favorable for the development and survival of EPN in the soil.</p>


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