BioControl (2007) 52, 669-681

Colleen R. Alma, Mark S. Goettel, Bernard D. Roitberg and David R. Gillespie (2007)
Combined effects of the entomopathogenic fungus, Paecilomyces fumosoroseus Apopka-97, and the generalist predator, Dicyphus hesperus , on whitefly populations
BioControl 52 (5), 669-681
Abstract: The effects of intraguild interactions between Dicyphus hesperus Knight (Hemiptera: Miridae) and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus Apopka-97 (PFR-97^TM) (Wize) Brown and Smith (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) on Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) populations were investigated in tomato greenhouse microcosms. Conditions were established in which interference or synergy would most likely occur; namely, a high number of available whiteflies were combined with large numbers of both D. hesperus and PFR-97^TM. We measured live whitefly density in a factorial repeated measures experiment where plants were provided or withheld releases of D. hesperus and/or applications of PFR-97^TM for 6 weeks. Releases of D. hesperus were made at a rate of 10 adults/plant during the first and third week and PFR-97^TM suspensions were applied with a backpack sprayer at a rate of 18 × 10⁷, 1.3 × 10⁷ and 1.2 × 10⁷ viable blastospores/ml during the first, third and fourth week, respectively. Results revealed a non-significant interaction effect between D. hesperus and PFR-97^TM, indicating that their actions were independent. Individual whitefly reductions of 48% and 35% were achieved by PFR-97^TM and D. hesperus, respectively. Collectively, the natural enemies reduced whitefly densities by 62% relative to the controls. The density of D. hesperus adults was unaffected by multiple applications of PFR-97^TM. These results suggest that the combination of generalist entomopathogenic fungi and generalist predators has the potential to cause increased pest mortality despite evidence of minimal interference.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Mark S. Goettel, David R. Gillespie

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
application technology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Trialeurodes vaporariorum	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
Cordyceps fumosorosea (entomopathogen)	Trialeurodes vaporariorum	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)
Dicyphus hesperus (predator)	Trialeurodes vaporariorum	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)