Predatory Behavior of Long-Legged Flies (Diptera: Dolichopodidae) and Their Potential Negative Effects on the Parasitoid Biological Control Agent of the Asian Citrus Psyllid (Hemiptera: Liviidae)

AbstractThe possible environmental effects of the massive use of Duddingtonia flagrans for controlling sheep nematodes were evaluated in two regions. Non-supplemented faeces and faeces from sheep supplemented with D. flagrans were deposited three times on pasture plots and samples were collected 7 and 14 days post-deposition. Samples were cultured in agar-water (2%) with Panagrellus spp. to recover D. flagrans and other nematophagous fungi, and soil nematodes were extracted using Baermann funnels and counted. No significant differences in the populations of soil nematodes and fungi colonizing sheep faeces (P > 0.05) were observed between supplemented and non-supplemented groups, except in one sample. The topsoil in contact with the faeces was sampled 1–4 months post-deposition, revealing that, with one exception, D. flagrans did not persist in soil beyond 2 months post-deposition. Duddingtonia flagrans does not affect faecal colonization by other fungi and soil nematodes and, once deployed on pasture, does not survive for long periods in the environment.

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Parasitoid vectors a plant pathogen, potentially diminishing the benefits it confers as a biological control agent

Communications Biology ◽

10.1038/s42003-021-02851-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Chang-Fei Guo ◽

Muhammad Z. Ahmed ◽

Da Ou ◽

Li-He Zhang ◽

Zi-Tong Lu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Plant Pathogen ◽

Biological Control Agent ◽

Control Agent ◽

Asian Citrus Psyllid ◽

Infection Status ◽

Environmentally Sustainable ◽

Rational Application ◽

Liberibacter Asiaticus ◽

Citrus Leaves

AbstractHuanglongbing (HLB) is a destructive disease of citrus primarily transmitted by the Asian citrus psyllid (ACP). Biocontrol of ACP is an environmentally sustainable alternative to chemicals. However, the risk of parasitoid rational application in ACP biocontrol has never been evaluated. Here we show, the dominant parasitoid of ACP, Tamarixia radiata, can acquire the HLB pathogen Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) and transmit it horizontally when probing ACP nymphs. If these ACP nymphs survive the probing, develop to adults and move to healthy plants, CLas can be transmitted to citrus leaves during feeding. We illustrate the formerly unrecognized risk that a parasitoid can potentially serve as a phoretic vector of the pathogen transmitted by its host, thus potentially diminishing some of the benefits it confers via biocontrol. Our findings present a significant caution to the strategy of using parasitoids in orchards with different infection status of insect-vectored pathogens.

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Effectiveness of the Brown Lacewing, Sympherobius barberi Banks as a Biological Control Agent of the Asian Citrus Psyllid Diaphorina citri Kuwayama

Frontiers in Plant Science ◽

10.3389/fpls.2020.567212 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Azhar A. Khan ◽

Muhammad Afzal ◽

Phil Stansly ◽

Jawwad A. Qureshi

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Biological Control Agent ◽

Control Agent ◽

Asian Citrus Psyllid ◽

Diaphorina Citri

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Virulence of four entomopathogenic nematode against different stages of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control ◽

10.1186/s41938-021-00472-9 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 31 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mürşide Yağcı ◽

Tuğba Akdeniz Fırat ◽

F. Dolunay Erdoğuş ◽

Müge Şahin

Keyword(s):

Biological Control ◽

Ceratitis Capitata ◽

Biological Control Agent ◽

Entomopathogenic Nematode ◽

Fruit Fly ◽

Adult Mortality ◽

Control Agent ◽

Mediterranean Fruit Fly ◽

Pest Species ◽

Negative Effects

Abstract Background Ceratitis capitata Wiedemann (Diptera: Tephritidae) (Mediterranean fruit fly), is one of the important polyphagous pest species in the world that harms almost all fruits causing significant yields losses. Control of this pest which is on the quarantine list of many countries is highly important. Due to the negative effects of chemical control on the environment and human health, biological control approaches have gained importance. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are a potential biological control agent that can be used for effectively controlling the Medfly. Results In this study, effects of four EPNs species on larvae, pupae and adults of Medfly were investigated under laboratory conditions. Four different concentrations of EPNs species were used against each stage of the pest. It pest showed different sensitivity to different concentrations of each of the tested EPNs. High mortality rate of 94% was caused by Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (11 KG),, followed by H. bacteriophora (TOK-20) with 91%, Steinernema carpocapsae (85%) and S. feltiae (Tokat-Emir) with 71% at highest concentration (200 IJ/larvae. The highest effect on adult mortality (100%) was recorded by the species S. feltiae (Tokat-Emir) at the highest concentration (200 IJ/adult) in the trials, followed by H. bacteriophora (11 KG) with 92%, H. bacteriophora (TOK-20) with 91% and S. carpocapsae (Tokat-Bakışlı05) with 87.37% mortality rates at the same concentrations. Conclusions It was determined that the EPNs tested in this study had insecticidal properties and they might be used in biological control programs against the Medfly.

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