Phytoprotection (2007) 88, 51-56

J.T. Kabaluk, R.S. Vernon and M.S. Goettel (2007)
Mortality and infection of wireworm, Agriotes obscurus [Coleoptera: Elateridae], with inundative field applications of Metarhizium anisopliae
Phytoprotection 88 (2), 51-56
Abstract: In an attempt to cause fatal infection of wireworm Agriotes obscurus [Coleoptera: Elateridae], Metarhizium anisopliae was applied in the field as factorial combinations of conidia formulated as granules at 3.68 g granules or 1.25 × 10¹⁰ cfu per 196 cm² (6.38 × 10 ⁷ conidia cm^-2), as conidia mixed with soil at 1.26 × 10¹⁰ cfu per 2.986 cm³ soil (4.22 × 10 ⁶ conidia cm³ soil), and as conidia-coated wheat seed (100 wheat seeds or 4.16 × 10⁹ cfu per 196 cm² = 2.12 × 10⁷ conidia cm²). The treatments resulted in a significantly greater number of mycosed wireworms compared with the control over and during five sampling periods. Significant differences in total wireworm mortality and mycosed wireworms in the field occurred at any time ranging from 15 to 82 d following treatment. The treatments also caused a reduction in the number of wireworms found in the cores, implying that they had a repellent effect. Latent infection of wireworms became apparent after living wireworms from the field treatments died following incubation under laboratory conditions, in numbers significantly greater than the control. This study showed that M. anisopliae can be applied in the field and infect and kill wireworms, but only at concentrations exceeding 4 × 10⁶ conidia cm³ with the subject isolate, wireworm species, and field conditions used in this study.
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Database assignments for author(s): James Todd Kabaluk, Mark S. Goettel, Robert S. Vernon

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
inundative/inoculative release
evaluation - screening - selection

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Agriotes obscurus	Wheat (Triticum)	Canada (west)
Metarhizium anisopliae (entomopathogen)	Agriotes obscurus	Wheat (Triticum)	Canada (west)