Journal of Insect Science (2013) 13 (31), 1-16

Steven Paul Arthurs, Luis Fernando Aristizábal and Pasco Bruce Avery (2013)
Evaluation of entomopathogenic fungi against chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis
Journal of Insect Science 13 (31), 1-16
Abstract: Commercial strains of entomopathogenic fungi were evaluated for control of chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), an invasive pest of ornamental and vegetable plants in the Caribbean and southeastern United States. In laboratory assays, LC₅₀ values against adult S. dorsalis were 5.1 × 10⁴ CFU/mL for Beauveria bassiana GHA, with higher values 3.1 × 10⁵ for Metarhizium brunneum F52 and 3.8 × 10⁵ for Isaria fumosorosea Apopka 97. Second instars were comparatively less susceptible to all isolates, ostensibly due to moulting, with LC₅₀ values of 1.1 × 10⁸, 7.0 × 10⁵, and 9.9 × 10⁵ CFU/spores per mL for GHA, F52, and Apopka 97 strains, respectively. In greenhouse cages, compared with controls, three applications of mycoinsecticides and other biorational insecticides at 7 to 14 day intervals reduced overall S. dorsalis populations on pepper plants Capsicum annuum cv. California Wonder: spinosad reduced populations by 94-99%, M. brunneum F52 by 84-93%, B. bassiana GHA by 81-94%, I. fumosorosea PFR-97 by 62-66%, and different horticultural oils by 58-85%. The proportion of marketable fruit was significantly increased by M. brunneum F52, B. bassiana GHA, and 2% SuffOil-X treatments. Slightly lower levels of control were observed in nursery tests with ornamental rose shrubs, Rosa sp. Red Double Knock Out®, during hot sunny conditions. Four applications reduced thrips populations over 10 weeks: spinosad by an average of 91%, M. brunneum F52 by an average of 81%, B. bassiana GHA by an average of 62%, SuffOil-X by an average of 50%, and I. fumosorosea PFR-97 by an average of 44%. The data show that mycoinsecticides can be used in management strategies for low to moderate populations of S. dorsalis and provide resistance management tools for the limited number of insecticides that are effective against this pest.
(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): Steven Arthurs, Luis Fernando Aristizabal, Pasco B. Avery

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.
	Scirtothrips dorsalis	Rosa (crop)	U.S.A. (SE)
Beauveria bassiana (entomopathogen)	Scirtothrips dorsalis	Rosa (crop)	U.S.A. (SE)
Cordyceps fumosorosea (entomopathogen)	Scirtothrips dorsalis	Rosa (crop)	U.S.A. (SE)
Metarhizium brunneum (entomopathogen)	Scirtothrips dorsalis	Rosa (crop)	U.S.A. (SE)