Journal of Applied Entomology (2017) 141, 241-246

A. Morton and F. Garcia-del-Pino (2017)
Laboratory and field evaluation of entomopathogenic nematodes for control of Agriotes obscurus (L.) (Coleoptera: Elateridae)
Journal of Applied Entomology 141 (4), 241-246
Abstract: The susceptibility of the dusky wireworm, Agriotes obscurus (L.) (Coleoptera: Elateridae), to different species and strains of entomopathogenic nematodes was tested in a virulence assay in the laboratory. Larvae were exposed to different nematode doses of 50 and 100 IJs/cm². At a dose of 50 IJs/cm², only a commercial strain Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar and the native strain Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser) B14 caused increased mortality compared with the control (11.1% and 13.3% mortality, respectively). At the higher dose tested, all strains (except Steinernema sp. D122) were virulent to A. obscurus larvae. Steinernema carpocapsae B14 caused higher mortality of wireworm (75.6%) and was used for the assay conducted in cages, with a dose of 100 IJs/cm², in field conditions. The results showed that S. carpocapsae B14 controlled 48.3% of A. obscurus larvae, demonstrating that some entomopathogenic nematodes have the potential to control larvae of A. obscurus. However, further work is needed to improve their efficacy.
(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): Ana Morton

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
Steinernema carpocapsae/Xenorhabdus nematophila (entomopathogen)	Agriotes obscurus