BioControl (2014) 59, 607-616

Todd Kabaluk (2014)
Targeting the click beetle Agriotes obscurus with entomopathogens as a concept for wireworm biocontrol
BioControl 59 (5), 607-616
Abstract: Applications of Metarhizium brunneum Petch (Ascomycota: Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) isolate LRC112 conidia caused high mortality to Agriotes obscurus L. (Coleoptera: Elateridae) click beetles in field trials. Banded conidiated rice (4.4 × 10¹⁴ conidia ha^-1) and conidia dust (5.0 × 10¹³ conidia ha^-1) resulted in 93.3 % ± 7.3 and 91.3 % ± 3.0 mortality after 18 days, while aqueous conidia suspension spray (5.0 × 10¹³ conidia ha^-1) with and without 80 g ha^-1 spinosad resulted in 68.2 % ± 17.7 and 52.6 % ± 17.4 mortality. Differences in results between 2012 and 2013 were attributed to rainfall, with pronounced effects in 2012 (rain beginning 35 h post treatment) and minimal effects in 2013 (rain beginning at 4 h). In another field experiment, beetles dosed with 1.49 × 10⁷ ± 5.08 × 10⁶ conidia per beetle retained 4.6 % of conidia after seven days while conidia viability on beetle bodies remained unchanged. The results inferred opportunities for controlling click beetles using fungal entomopathogens, and for horizontal transmission of the inoculum.
(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): James Todd Kabaluk

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

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