Entomology Commons^™

Korean Encyrtids (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) Associated With Scale Insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha), Soo-Jung Suh

Insecta Mundi

Scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccomorpha) are sap-sucking plant parasites and economically important pests on agricultural and horticultural crops. Scale insects are often difficult to control since their body is protected by a wax cover. Parasitic wasps that live and develop in scale insects are important natural enemies and effective biological control agents of pest scale insects. Chalcid wasps of the family Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea) comprise the largest group of parasitoids of scale insects, followed by the family Aphelinidae. Here, an updated list of all thirty-six species of encyrtids in twenty-three genera that have been identified or reported from South Korea is …

Development Of A Remotely Activated Field Sprayer And Evaluation Of Temperature And Aeration On The Longevity Of Steinernema Riobrave Entomopathogenic Nematodes For Treatment Of Cattle Fever Tick-Infested Nilgai, John A. Goolsby, Diana Cantu, Alejandro Vasquez, Alexis Racelis

School of Integrative Biological & Chemical Sciences (Formerly Dept. of Biology)

A remotely activated field sprayer was developed for application of the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema riobrave (Cabanillas, Poinar, and Raulston) for eradication of the southern cattle fever tick, Rhipicephalus microplus (Canestrini) infesting free-ranging nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in South Texas. The battery powered sprayer is activated by sonic sensors that detect movement of nilgai through fence crossings. An onboard computer operates the sprayer pump and aerator that oxygenates the solution of nematodes. Several types of aeriation, agitation, and cooling were tested to prolong the viability of the nematodes in water. Continuous aeration extended the longevity of S. riobrave to more than two …

Green Lacewings And Water Sprays For Azalea Lace Bug Control, Jana C. Lee, Barry Finley, S. Michael Flores, Katerina Velasco Graham, J. Megan Woltz, Jessica S. Wong, Robin S. Rosetta

Faculty Scholarship

The azalea lace bug, Stephanitis pyrioides, is a serious pest of azaleas and rhododendrons which is often controlled by systemic insecticides. However, the efficacy of softer approaches such as biological control and water sprays against this pest on rhododendrons is unknown. Therefore, we tested the commercially available green lacewing predator, Chrysoperla rufilabris, and water sprays on lace bug infestation in one laboratory and four field trials. First, 2nd instar predator larvae were confirmed to consume lace bug nymphs and sometimes adults. Second, tapping predator larvae from hexcel units over dry leaves of potted rhododendrons and shaking loose eggs …

Α-Amylase Mediates Host Acceptance In The Braconid Parasitoid Cotesia Flavipes, Gladys Bichang’A, Jean Luc Da Lage, Claire Capdevielle-Dulac, Michel Zivy, Thierry Balliau, Kevin Sambai, Bruno Le Ru, Laure Kaiser, Gerald Juma, Esther Njoki Mwangi Maina, Paul André Calatayud

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Foraging parasitoids use chemical signals in host recognition and selection processes. Although, the volatiles play a relevant role in the localization by parasitoids of their hosts feeding on plants, the host identification process for acceptance occurs mainly during contact between the parasitoid and its host where host products related to feeding activities, fecal pellets and oral secretions, play a crucial role. The purpose of this study was to identify the nature of the contact kairomone(s) that mediate the acceptance for oviposition of the parasitoid Cotesia flavipes Cameron (Hymenoptera, Braconidae), which was released in Kenya in 1993 to control the invasive …

Crop Pests And Predators Exhibit Inconsistent Responses To Surrounding Landscape Composition, Daniel S. Karp, Julie A. Peterson, 155 Other Co-Authors

Faculty Publications: Department of Entomology

The idea that noncrop habitat enhances pest control and represents a win–win opportunity to conserve biodiversity and bolster yields has emerged as an agroecological paradigm. However, while noncrop habitat in landscapes surrounding farms sometimes benefits pest predators, natural enemy responses remain heterogeneous across studies and effects on pests are inconclusive. The observed heterogeneity in species responses to noncrop habitat may be biological in origin or could result from variation in how habitat and biocontrol are measured. Here, we use a pest-control database encompassing 132 studies and 6,759 sites worldwide to model natural enemy and pest abundances, predation rates, and crop …

Molecular Gut-Content Analysis Reveals High Frequency Of Helicoverpa Zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Consumption By Orius Insidiosus (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) In Sweet Corn, Julie A. Peterson, E. C. Burkness, James D. Harwood, W. D. Hutchison

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Management of corn earworm Helicoverpa zea in sweet corn grown for processing can be challenging due to the lack of effective transgenic and chemical control options. However, biological control by generalist predators can provide a significant impact on pests in this cropping system. One of the most ubiquitous predators of H. zea and other lepidopterans is the insidious flower bug, Orius insidiosus. This small hemipteran has been observed as an important mortality agent of H. zea in several cropping systems, but the strength of the trophic connection between these species has not been documented in sweet corn. Molecular gut-content …

Emerald Ash Borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) Host Expansion; Trading An Optimal Host For Enemy Free Space?, David G. Olson

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is an aggressive invader from Asia that has killed millions of trees in North America. Recently EAB has been documented developing in a novel host, white fringetree, Chionanthus virginicus. I evaluated larval performance in two common ash species and white fringetree by infesting excised bolts with emerald ash borer eggs. In addition I evaluated several plant characteristics to determine which most influence larval development. I also conducted choice and no choice assays using the classical biological control agent, Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), to assess its ability to locate larval EAB in …

Impact Of Selected Integrated Pest Management Techniques On Arthropods In Cucurbit Production Systems, Amanda R. Skidmore

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Cucurbits (i.e. squash, melons, pumpkins, gourds) are high value crops of global importance. Insect pests in these systems are often controlled by chemical insecticides, which are not always effective and can be damaging to the environment. Many integrated pest management (IPM) techniques have been developed for the control of pests in these systems, with a goal of improving system stability and reducing chemical inputs. The overarching goal of my research was to investigate the impact of select IPM techniques on arthropod populations and yield in organic and conventional cucurbit systems.

This dissertation can be divided into three major projects which …

A New Colombian Pest Species Of The Genus Poecilocloeus Bruner (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Proctolabinae) On Coffee, With A Key To The Neotropical Species, Luis Miguel Constantino, Oscar J. Cadena-Castañeda, Juan Manuel Cardona Granda, Pablo Benavides M., Carmenza Góngora B.

Insecta Mundi

A remarkable new species of Poecilocloeus (Orthoptera: Acrididae: Proctolabinae) found damaging coffee plantations in the Western Andes of Colombia is described and named P. coffeaphilus n. sp. This new species is part of a distinct and colorful group of Proctolabinae grasshoppers, with most species found at low altitudes in the rainforest of the Amazon basin. In contrast, the new species is found at elevations of 1600 to 1800 m in the canopy of dense cloud forests, in the southwestern part of the department of Antioquia (Western Cordillera, Colombian Andes). Information about the natural history, behavior, natural enemies and control strategies …

The First Record Of Ooencyrtus Nezarae (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) On Kudzu Bug (Hemiptera: Plataspidae) In North America, Blessing Ademokoya, Rammohan Balusu, Charles Ray, Jason Mottern, Henry Fadamiro

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The kudzu bug, Megacopta cribraria (F.) (Heteroptera: Plataspidae), is an invasive insect pest introduced from Asia in 2009 that poses a threat to soybeans (Glycine max [L.] Merr. [Fabales: Fabaceae]) and other legume crops in the United States. Initially discovered in Georgia, M. cribraria rapidly expanded across the southeast until 2014 when a significant decline in its population was observed across many locations. This notable decline in M. cribraria populations is attributed to the emergence of new parasitoids and pathogens in its new invasive range. So far, only a single egg parasitoid, Paratelenomus saccharalis (Dodd) (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae), is known …

Insect Net: A Novel Technology To Promote Integrated Pest Management On Horticultural Crops In Africa, T. Martin, M. Saidi, S. Niassy, S. Simon, F. Vidogbena, L. Parrot, S. Ekesi, E. Deletre, S. Subramanian, F. Assogba-Komlan, V. Baird, K. K.M. Fiaboe, M. Ngouajio, J. E. Simon, A. Ratnadass

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Fruits and vegetables are important commodities in global agriculture. However, in sub-Saharan Africa, production is sub-optimal in terms of yield, quality and environmental health practices due to several constraints such as insect pests which reduce yields through direct damage, or indirectly as disease vectors often promoting microbial diseases. Pest control still relies mainly on chemicals with their associated risks of resistance selection and toxicity to humans and environment. Several alternatives including biopesticides, semiochemical and nets are being explored in pest management. Insect nets applied on tomatoes, cabbages, beans and leafy vegetables protect them from flies, butterflies, moths, albeit to a …

Relationship Between Oviposition, Virulence Gene Expression And Parasitism Success In Cotesia Typhae Nov. Sp. Parasitoid Strains, R. Benoist, C. Chantre, C. Capdevielle-Dulac, M. Bodet, F. Mougel, P. A. Calatayud, S. Dupas, E. Huguet, R. Jeannette, J. Obonyo, C. Odorico, J. F. Silvain, B. Le Ru, L. Kaiser

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Studying mechanisms that drive host adaptation in parasitoids is crucial for the efficient use of parasitoids in biocontrol programs. Cotesia typhae nov. sp. (Fernández-Triana) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is a newly described parasitoid of the Mediterranean corn borer Sesamia nonagrioides (Lefebvre) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Braconidae are known for their domesticated bracovirus, which is injected with eggs in the host larva to overcome its resistance. In this context, we compared reproductive success traits of four Kenyan strains of C. typhae on a French and a Kenyan populations of its host. Differences were found between the four strains and the two most contrasted ones were …

Diversity And Abundance Of Lepidopteran Stem Borer Natural Enemies In Natural And Cultivated Habitats In Botswana, Reyard Mutamiswa, Eva Moeng, Bruno P. Le Ru, Des E. Conlong, Yoseph Assefa, Muluken Goftishu, Casper Nyamukondiwa

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Lepidopteran stem-borers in Africa are attacked by diverse natural enemies in natural and cultivated environments. Field surveys of stem-borer natural enemies and associated host plants were conducted during the austral summers of 2014/15 and 2015/16 on natural and cultivated habitats across Botswana to determine their diversity and relative abundance. In cultivated habitats, the most common parasitoids of larvae were Cotesia flavipes Cameron, C. sesamiae (Cameron), and of pupae, Pediobius furvus Gahan and Gambroides nimbipennis Seyrig. In natural habitats, the larval parasitoids Chelonus curvimaculatus Cameron and Goniozus indicus Ashmead were recorded, along with the pupal parasitoid, Dentichasmias busseolae Heinrich. Furthermore, the …

Evaluation Of Winter Management Methods To Enhance Survival Of The Giant Salvinia Weevil, Cyrtobagous Salviniae, Lori Robyn Moshman

LSU Master's Theses

Giant salvinia (Salvinia molesta Mitchell) is a noxious aquatic weed in the southeastern United States. Dense plant mats create ecological and economic consequences by displacing native species and impacting freshwater industries. Biological control programs using the salvinia weevil (Cyrtobagous salviniae Calder and Sands, Coleoptera: Curculionidae) have limited efficacy in giant salvinia’s northernmost range due to the weevil’s low cold tolerance and long-term establishment rates. Spunbonded polypropylene (SBP) fabrics and manipulation of plant density were evaluated as two strategies for managing giant salvinia mats during winter. Greenhouse, laboratory, and field experiments were conducted to determine the suitability of these …

Conservation Biological Control Of Western Bean Cutworm: Molecular Gut Content Analysis Of Arthropod Predators, Feeding Trials For Key Predators And Agricultural Surveys For Integrated Pest Management, Westen Ray Archibald

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Western bean cutworm (WBC), Striacosta albicosta, is a major pest of corn in western Nebraska. In 1999, its range expanded into much of North America causing damage from Nebraska to Canada and Mexico. WBC periodically causes kernel damage as severe as 15 bu/ac for one larva/plant. Control for WBC relies on Bt corn hybrids with Vip3A and Cry1F traits and insecticides. There has been a 5.2-fold decrease in efficacy of Cry1F for WBC. Concerns over management tactics may be creating space for conservation biological control to become part of a WBC integrated pest management (IPM) program. Objective 1, used …

The Weevil Next Door: Exploring The Impact Of Associational Effects On C. Pitcheri To Better Biological Control Practices, Tina Czaplinska

Lawrence University Honors Projects

Lake Michigan dwelling dune thistle, Circium pitcheri, is a federally threatened plant, whose reproduction is affected by a non-native weevil, Larinus planus. Originally introduced as a biological control agent to combat the spread of Canada thistle, Circium arvense, this weevil is instead using C. pitcheri as a host for its larvae. Associational susceptibility is an important factor to consider in hopes of preventing the damage to this endangered plant. The goal of this study was to observe L. planus behavior to determine why there is a correlation between increased density of beach grass and high levels of C. …

Effect Of Metarhizium Anisopliae (Ascomycete), Cypermethrin, And D-Limonene, Alone And Combined, On Larval Mortality Of Rhipicephalus Sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae), Omar Francisco Prado-Rebolledo, Jaime Molina-Ochoa, Roberto Lezama-Gutierrez, Luis Jorge Garcia-Marquez, Yureida B. Minchaca-Llerenas, Eduardo Morales-Barrera, Guillermo Tellez, Billy Hargis, S. R. Skoda, John E. Foster

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

The effect of the fungus Metarhizium anisopliae Ma14 strain, D-limonene, and cypermethrin, alone and combined, on the mortality of Rhipicephalus sanguineus Latreille larvae was evaluated. Eight separate groups with 25 tick larvae were inoculated with the fungus, cypermethrin, and D-limonene, and four groups were used as untreated controls. The groups were inoculated with serial dilutions of each treatment material: for example, conidial concentrations were 1 x 10¹, 1 x 10², 1 x 10³, 1 x 10⁴, 1 x 10⁵, 1 x 10⁶, 1 x 10⁷, and …

Cold Tolerance And Overwintering Physiology Of The Salvinia Weevil (Cyrtobagous Salviniae): Improving The Biological Control Of Giant Salvinia In Temperate Louisiana, Alana D. Russell

LSU Master's Theses

Cyrtobagous salviniae is widely used for biological control of Salvinia molesta. Despite success in tropical and subtropical regions, the effectiveness of C. salviniae on S. molesta is inconsistent in temperate regions, indicating the need for a better understanding of the thermal biology of this agent. The objectives of this study were to compare cold tolerance of C. salviniae populations from the temperate native range and Louisiana, and characterize the overwintering physiology and population dynamics of C. salviniae in Louisiana. Surveys of the Lower Paraná-Uruguay Delta resulted in the first record of C. salviniae in Uruguay, and revealed the most southern …

Systematics And Biology Of Cotesia Typhae Sp. N. (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Microgastrinae), A Potential Biological Control Agent Against The Noctuid Mediterranean Corn Borer, Sesamia Nonagrioides, Laure Kaiser, Jose Fernandez-Triana, Claire Capdevielle-Dulac, Célina Chantre, Matthieu Bodet, Ferial Kaoula, Romain Benoist, Paul André Calatayud, Stéphane Dupas, Elisabeth A. Herniou, Rémi Jeannette, Julius Obonyo, Jean François Silvain, Bruno Le Ru

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Many parasitoid species are subjected to strong selective pressures from their host, and their adaptive response may result in the formation of genetically differentiated populations, called host races. When environmental factors and reproduction traits prevent gene flow, host races become distinct species. Such a process has recently been documented within the Cotesia flavipes species complex, all of which are larval parasitoids of moth species whose larvae are stem borers of Poales. A previous study on the African species C. sesamiae, incorporating molecular, ecological and biological data on various samples, showed that a particular population could be considered as a distinct …

Cotesia Icipe Sp. N., A New Microgastrinae Wasp (Hymenoptera, Braconidae) Of Importance In The Biological Control Of Lepidopteran Pests In Africa, Komi K.M. Fiaboe, Jose Fernández-Triana, Faith W. Nyamu, Komi M. Agbodzavu

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

A new species of Microgastrinae, Cotesia icipe Fernández-Triana & Fiaboe, sp. n., is described from eastern Africa. It was reared in Kenya as a solitary parasitoid from two major amaranth pests, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval, 1833) and S. exigua (Hübner, 1808); study of specimens in collections also revealed its presence in four other countries in the Afrotropical region (Madagascar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and Yemen). Morphological, molecular and biological characters are used to describe the new species and to distinguish it from all 12 previously described species of Afrotropical Cotesia. Cotesia icipe shows potential in the biological control of key Lepidopteran …

Integration Of Plant Defense Traits With Biological Control Of Arthropod Pests: Challenges And Opportunities, Julie A. Peterson, Paul J. Ode, Camila Oliveira-Hofman, James D. Harwood

Entomology Faculty Publications

Crop plants exhibit a wide diversity of defensive traits and strategies to protect themselves from damage by herbivorous pests and disease. These defensive traits may be naturally occurring or artificially selected through crop breeding, including introduction via genetic engineering. While these traits can have obvious and direct impacts on herbivorous pests, many have profound effects on higher trophic levels, including the natural enemies of herbivores. Multi-trophic effects of host plant resistance have the potential to influence, both positively and negatively, biological control. Plant defense traits can influence both the numerical and functional responses of natural enemies; these interactions can be …

Integration Of Plant Defense Traits With Biological Control Of Arthropod Pests: Challenges And Opportunities, Julie A. Peterson, Paul J. Ode, Camila Oliveira-Hofman, James D. Harwood

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Crop plants exhibit a wide diversity of defensive traits and strategies to protect themselves from damage by herbivorous pests and disease. These defensive traits may be naturally occurring or artificially selected through crop breeding, including introduction via genetic engineering. While these traits can have obvious and direct impacts on herbivorous pests, many have profound effects on higher trophic levels, including the natural enemies of herbivores. Multi-trophic effects of host plant resistance have the potential to influence, both positively and negatively, biological control. Plant defense traits can influence both the numerical and functional responses of natural enemies; these interactions can be …

Effects Of Entomopathogenic Fungus Metarhizium Anisopliae On Non-Target Ants Associated With Odontotermes Spp. (Isoptera: Termitidae) Termite Mounds In Kenya, E. A. Abonyo, N. K. Maniania, C. M. Warui, E. D. Kokwaro, T. M. Palmer, D. F. Doak, A. K. Brody

All Peer-Reviewed Publications

Termites are an important component of savannah ecosystems throughout Africa. Despite their importance in the ecosystem, they can be serious pests of structures, houses, rangelands, tropical forestry, and agriculture. For many decades, chemical insecticides have remained popular for termite management worldwide. However, with the growing environmental concerns over pesticides, biological control using entomopathogenic fungi such as Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin has become an often-considered alternative. Metarhizium anisopliae is an ubiquitous, naturally occurring pathogen, which has been reported infecting over 200 insect species; therefore, there is concern that use of M. anisopliae may affect non-target organisms. The effects of M. anisopliae …

Large-Plot Field Studies To Assess Impacts Of Newer Insecticides On Non-Target Arthropods In Western U.S. Orchards, Peter W. Shearer, Kaushalya G. Amarasekare, Steven P. Castagnoli, Elizabeth H. Beers, Vincent P. Jones, Nicholas J. Mills

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

The non-target impacts of two reduced risk insecticides, chlorantraniliprole and spinetoram, were evaluated for two years in Oregon pear and California walnut orchards. Experiments were conducted in large replicated plots (approximately 0.25–0.4ha) to assess the impact of these two insecticides on natural enemies of secondary pests when applied against codling moth, Cydia pomonella. Cumulative insect days (CID) of secondary pests and natural enemies were calculated from leaf samples, plant volatile traps, beat trays or cardboard trunk bands. Ratios of natural enemies and prey were also calculated. Results from these field studies demonstrate that applications of chlorantraniliprole can reduce abundance of …

Nontarget Effects Of Orchard Pesticides On Natural Enemies: Lessons From The Field And Laboratory, Elizabeth H. Beers, Nicholas J. Mills, Peter W. Shearer, David R. Horton, Eugene R. Milickzy, Kaushalya G. Amarasekare, Lessando M. Gontijo

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

The nontarget effects of insecticide programs used to control codling moth, Cydia pomonella L. (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), were studied in large-plot field trials in apples, pears, and walnuts in the western United States. We assessed the health of the natural enemy community by sampling the abundance of natural enemies and by monitoring for outbreaks of secondary pests. The insecticides used in the field tests overlapped those tested in laboratory bioassays. Using these parallel lab and field studies, we examined two hypotheses: 1) pesticides found to have negative effects on natural enemy fitness in laboratory bioassays will predict reductions in natural enemy …

Flowers In Space Attacked By Aliens: Understanding The Spatial Ecology Behind The Devastating Damage By A Thistle Bud Weevil On Pitcher’S Thistle At Whitefish Dunes State Park, Wi, Zechariah D. Meunier

Lawrence University Honors Projects

One of the most threatened plants in the Great Lakes region is Pitcher’s thistle (Cirsium pitcheri), which inhabits sand dunes along the shorelines of Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Superior. In addition to risks from habitat loss and invasive species, C. pitcheri are imperiled by a thistle bud weevil (Larinus planus) that was originally distributed for biological control of nonnative thistles. During the summer of 2014, we empirically studied the devastating damage caused by L. planus on a population of C. pitcheri at Whitefish Dunes State Park, WI, to determine what factors influence the distribution and intensity …

A Checklist Of Natural Enemies Of Diaphorina Citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae) In The Department Of Valle Del Cauca, Colombia And The World, Takumasa Kondo, Guillermo González F., Catherine Tauber, Yoan Camilo Guzmán Sarmiento, Andrés Felipe Vinasco Mondragon, Dimitri Forero

Insecta Mundi

In recent years, populations of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Liviidae), have increased in rural citrus orchards and urban backyard gardens. In order to find biological control options for D. citri, a search for natural enemies was conducted in the department of Valle del Cauca, Colombia. The collections were carried out in citrus orchards in rural areas and house gardens and street trees in urban areas. Natural enemies were collected from D. citri found on Citrus spp. and Murraya paniculata (L.) Jack (Rutaceae). A total of 16 species of natural enemies of D. citri distributed in …

Spatial And Temporal Dynamics Of Predator-Prey Interactions In Winter Wheat, Katelyn A. Kowles

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are pests of multiple cropping systems, primarily due to the viruses they vector and direct crop damage that is exacerbated by their rapid population growth. In Kentucky, grain aphids (Rhopalosiphum padi and Sitobion avenae) cause significant yield loss to winter wheat as vectors of Barley Yellow Dwarf virus (BYDV), prompting the routine application of insecticides. Coupled with increasing human populations and decreasing arable land, it is increasingly evident that biological control services provided by natural enemies represent a viable long-term management option. Aphids are preyed upon by a diverse array of predators that can be …

A Comparative Study Of Eastern And Western North American Populations Of Hippodamia Convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Joshua S. Mccord

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Hippodamia convergens is a widely distributed insect predator in the United States and parts of Canada and Mexico. Several insectaries collect overwintering adults from aggregation sites in the Rocky Mountains during their winter dormancy. Collected beetles are then sold throughout the United States for augmentative biological control. This practice could have negative impacts on local populations of Hippodamia convergens in the Eastern United States. Intra-specific variation among H. convergens populations was examined for two characteristics of adults: photoperiodic induction of diapause and the presence of three known male-killing endosymbiont bacteria; Wolbachia, Spiroplasma, and Rickettsia. Four populations of H. …

Biological Control With Trichogramma Pretiosum Increases Organic Maize Productivity By 19.4%, Maria De Lourdes Corrêa Figueiredo, Ivan Cruz, Rafael Braga Da Silva, John E. Foster

Department of Entomology: Faculty Publications

Spodoptera frugiperda is a major pest causing maize yield loss in Brazil. There is therefore a need for control methods, notably for organic farming because classical pesticides are not allowed. A potential solution for organic maize is to apply the biological control agent Trichogramma pretiosum to reduce S. frugiperda populations. Here, we tested the application of one, two, or three releases of T. pretiosum. We measured plant damage ratings, egg masses parasitized, and grain yield. Results show that 79.2% of egg masses were parasited. Maize yields for parasited plots increased of 701 kg/ha versus control plots. This result equals a …