Environmental Entomology (1991) 20, 707-712

Mary E. Barbercheck and Harry K. Kaya (1991)
Competitive interactions between entomopathogenic nematodes and Beauveria bassiana (Deuteromycotina: Hyphomycetes) in soilborne larvae of Spodoptera exigua (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)
Environmental Entomology 20 (2), 707-712
Abstract: Laboratory experiments were conducted to assess the reproductive success of Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser) or Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar in soilborne Spodoptera exigua (Hübner) previously exposed to Beauveria bassiana (Bats.) Vuill. Treatments of H. bacteriophora plus B. bassiana resulted in higher total mortality of S. exigua in soil than treatments with either nematode alone or fungus alone. For S. carpocapsae plus B. bassiana, insect mortality was not significantly different compared with S. carpocapsae alone. In treatments with nematode plus fungus, percentage mortality of S. exigua from S. carpocapsae and H. bacteriophora was reduced relative to the treatments with nematodes alone. These results suggest that inundative release of entomopathogenic nematodes where B. bassiana occurs may result in greater control of soilborne insect pests than application of nematodes alone.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Harry K. Kaya

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
environment/habitat manipulation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Spodoptera exigua
Beauveria bassiana (entomopathogen)	Spodoptera exigua
Steinernema carpocapsae/Xenorhabdus nematophila (entomopathogen)
Heterorhabditis bacteriophora/Photorhabdus (entomopathogen)