Environmental Entomology (2010) 39, 1532-1538

B. Kurtz, P. Karlovsky and S. Vidal (2010)
Interaction between western corn rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) larvae and root-infecting Fusarium verticillioides
Environmental Entomology 39 (5), 1532-1538
Abstract: A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of soil-dwelling larvae of the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, on infection of maize roots by the mycotoxin-producing plant-pathogenic fungus, Fusarium verticillioides (Saccardo) Nirenberg (synonym = Fusarium moniliforme Sheldon). The time and order of application of F. verticillioides and western corn rootworm were varied in three different treatments to investigate the influence of timing on root colonization of F. verticillioides and western corn rootworm larval development. Root feeding by western corn rootworm larvae increased root colonization by F. verticillioides (as determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction) up to 50-fold when a high inoculum (10⁷ spores/plant) of F. verticillioides was applied before western corn rootworm eggs were added. This effect was stronger the earlier F. verticillioides was applied relative to the time of western corn rootworm egg application but was only significant for the high F. verticillioides inoculum density treatment; F. verticillioides colonization was not increased when a low F. verticillioides inoculum density (10⁶ spores/plant) was applied. F. verticillioides slightly suppressed larval development in that the ratio of second- to third-instar larvae was higher in treatments with F. verticillioides than without F. verticillioides. F. verticillioides reduced western corn rootworm head capsule width when applied before or simultaneously with western corn rootworm. The results of this study are discussed focusing on conditions that favor root colonization by F. verticillioides and its influence on western corn rootworm larval development.
(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): Stefan Vidal, Petr Karlovsky

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Diabrotica virgifera	Maize/corn (Zea mays)
	Fusarium verticillioides	Maize/corn (Zea mays)