International Journal of Pest Management (2018) 64, 287-293

Giulia Torrini, Claudia Benvenuti, Francesco Binazzi, Leonardo Marianelli, Francesco Paoli, Giuseppino Sabbatini Peverieri and Pio Federico Roversi (2018)
Entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes against larvae of the chestnut weevil, Curculio elephas (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): a laboratory evaluation
International Journal of Pest Management 64 (4), 287-293
Abstract: Pest control in chestnut orchards is mainly achieved by chemicals, but there is growing focus on the potential use of biological control agents. The larval susceptibility of the chestnut weevil Curculio elephas L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) to different strains/species of entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes was evaluated in laboratory by soil cup bioassays. In the experiments with fungi, a wild strain of Metarhizium anisopliae caused the highest larval mortality (about 90%) compared with a commercial and a wild strain of Beauveria bassiana (80% and 77% respectively). Regarding nematodes, the commercial strain of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora was more effective in the control of chestnut larvae (77% insect mortality) than Steinernema carpocapsae (43%).
(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): Pio Federico Roversi, Francesco Paoli, Giulia Torrini

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

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Curculio elephas	Chestnut (Castanea)
Beauveria bassiana (entomopathogen)	Curculio elephas
Metarhizium anisopliae (entomopathogen)	Curculio elephas
Heterorhabditis bacteriophora/Photorhabdus (entomopathogen)	Curculio elephas