scholarly journals An Overview of the Vine Mealybug (Planococcus ficus) in South African Vineyards and the Use of Entomopathogenic Nematodes as Potential Biocontrol Agent

Author(s):  
P.D. le Vieux ◽  
A.P. Malan
Nematology ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 1045-1052 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jagadeesh Patil ◽  
Vijayakumar Rangasamy ◽  
Abraham Verghese

Holotrichia consanguinea is a serious pest of peanut and sugarcane that attacks other commercial crops in India. The efficacy of two species of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN), Steinernema abbasi and Heterorhabditis indica, against H. consanguinea was tested under laboratory and field conditions. In a laboratory assay, H. indica caused significantly greater mortality (25-100%) than S. abbasi (20-80%) against second instars and H. indica caused 17.5-82.5% mortality in third-instar grub larvae, while S. abbasi caused (10-60%) mortality. These results revealed that second-instar grubs were more susceptible than third-instar grubs and efficacy of EPN against H. consanguinea varies with nematode species. The penetration and multiplication rate for H. indica was significantly higher than those of S. abbasi. Infective juveniles (IJ) of both nematode species and a commonly used insecticide (phorate) were tested against this insect in a field experiment. Field trail data showed that the percentage reduction in H. consanguinea grub population was significantly higher using H. indica at a dose of 2.5 × 109 IJ ha−1 than S. abbasi and phorate application. Phorate application was more efficient in reducing the grub population than both nematode species at the lower application rate (1.25 × 109 IJ ha−1). Overall, these experiments suggest that H. indica may be a promising biocontrol agent against H. consanguinea.


2015 ◽  
Vol 68 ◽  
pp. 446-446
Author(s):  
D.J. Wilson ◽  
P.J. Gerard

Spiny snout mite (Neomolgus capillatus) is a potential biocontrol agent for clover flea (Sminthurus viridis) a white clover pest on dairy farms in warmer and wetter parts of New Zealand In the 1990s this mite was introduced from Brittany France into Tasmania for clover flea control Results during the release programme were highly promising and subsequent anecdotal farmer reports indicate widespread decreases in damage As N capillatus is a predatory mite and already known to attack nontarget organisms habitat specificity will determine whether it could be introduced into New Zealand without risk to native insects To assess this pastures on nine of the original Tasmanian release farms and adjacent nontarget habitats ranging from bush wetlands eucalypt stands to sand dune country were sampled in April 2014 Litter samples were collected heat extracted and mite species identified Neomolgus capillatus was found at effective densities in pastures that had good clover cover Where present it displaced Bdellodes spp mites that are ineffective against clover flea No N capillatus were found in the nontarget habitats all of which lacked clover and contained other predatory mites including Bdellodes spp Therefore the preference by N capillatus for lush pastures makes it an excellent prospect for introduction as a biocontrol agent into clover flea prone regions of New Zealand


Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (8) ◽  
pp. 664
Author(s):  
Ewa Puchalska ◽  
Stanisław Kamil Zagrodzki ◽  
Marcin Kozak ◽  
Brian G. Rector ◽  
Anna Mauer

Development, survival and reproduction of Ambyseius andersoni (Chant), a predatory mite widely distributed in Europe, were assessed on different food items. These included two key pests of ornamental coniferous plants, i.e., Oligonychus ununguis (Jacobi) and Pentamerismus taxi (Haller) and pollen of Pinus sylvestris L. The rationale behind these experiments was to provide a preliminary assessment of the potential of A. andersoni as a biocontrol agent of the above phytophagous arthropods and evaluate pine pollen as an alternative food source for the predator. Under laboratory conditions (23 ± 0.5 °C, 70 ± 10% RH and 16L:8D) A. andersoni was able to feed, develop and reproduce on all tested diets. The shortest development time (egg to female) was obtained when the predator fed on P. taxi (mean = 5.12 d) and the longest was on pine pollen (mean = 6.55 d). The rm value was significantly higher on both tested prey (0.166 on P. taxi and 0.160 on O. ununguis) than on pollen (0.139). Thus, we do not recommend pine pollen for mass rearing of A. andersoni; however, we conclude that pollen may provide sufficient sustenance for the predator population under field conditions when prey are absent. The potential of A. andersoni as a biocontrol agent of O. ununguis and P. taxi is discussed.


ChemInform ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 32 (21) ◽  
pp. no-no
Author(s):  
Diane M. Hinkens ◽  
J. Steven McElfresh ◽  
Jocelyn G. Millar

2012 ◽  
Vol 44 (1) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramzi Mansour ◽  
Vincenzo Cavalieri ◽  
Gaetana Mazzeo ◽  
Kaouthar Grissa Lebdi ◽  
Agatino Russo

Some vine mealybug, <em>Planococcus ficus </em>(Signoret) populations in Tunisian vineyards have been morphologically and genetically characterized. The morphological examination was based on the main distinctive characteristics of species of <em>Planococcus</em>, namely the number and distribution of the multilocular disc pores and tubular ducts on the adult female. This showed the existence of two different vine mealybug populations in Tunisia. Likewise, in the molecular analyses, two separate clades were revealed in the neighbour-joining phylogenetic tree, supporting the morphological studies and suggesting that there are two distinct populations of <em>P. ficus</em> on grapevine in Tunisia.


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