Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata (2006) 119, 155-162

Jorge Toledo, Milton A. Rasgado, Jorge E. Ibarra, Anaximandro Gómez, Pablo Liedo and Trevor Williams (2006)
Infection of Anastrepha ludens following soil applications of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora in a mango orchard
Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 119 (2), 155-162
Abstract: To determine the efficacy of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar (Nematoda: Heterorhabditidae) for control of Anastrepha ludens (Loew) (Diptera: Tephritidae), field experiments were performed in a mango orchard with soil temperatures of 24-29 °C. The density of third-instar A. ludens (50-500 larvae per plot) released into 0.25 m² wood-framed experimental plots containing soil (16% wt/wt moisture) previously treated with 125 infective juveniles per square centimetre soil surface did not significantly influence the prevalence of infection by H. bacteriophora. In subsequent experiments, the percentages of infection of fly pupae were positively correlated with the concentration of infective stages applied to soil plots. The highest average percentage of infection (74% at 250 infective juveniles per square centimetre) was observed when fly larvae were released simultaneously onto soil, compared to larvae that emerged from laboratory-infested mangoes over a period of 8 days (52% infection at 500 infective juveniles per square centimetre). Double applications of infective juveniles at an interval of 4 days did not greatly improve the prevalence of infection (~10% higher) compared to single applications. Between 9 and 15% of larvae that remained within infested mangoes became infected by nematodes, irrespective of the concentration of nematodes applied to each experimental plot. We conclude that effective control of A. ludens requires very high densities of H. bacteriophora. The successful use of this nematode for biocontrol of A. ludens will depend on identifying ways of overcoming the fly's ability to avoid infection.
(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): Jorge Toledo, Trevor Williams, Jorge E. Ibarra

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

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Anastrepha ludens	Mango (Mangifera indica)	Mexico
Heterorhabditis bacteriophora/Photorhabdus (entomopathogen)	Anastrepha ludens	Mango (Mangifera indica)	Mexico