Nematology (2004) 6, 633-639

Elisabeth Struck, Lemma Ebssa, Ralf-Udo Ehlers, Hans-Michael Poehling, Andreas Gaigl and Christian Borgemeister (2004)
Interactions between host plants, the subterranean burrower bug, Cyrtomenus bergi, and the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis megidis
Nematology 6 (5), 633-639
Abstract: Interactions between seedlings of Zea mays L. as a host plant, the subterranean burrower bug, Cyrtomenus bergi Froeschner, as a pest, and Heterorhabditis megidis Poinar, an entomopathogenic nematode, as a biological control agent, were studied, with a particular emphasis on the host finding behaviour of the nematode. For the trials a sand-filled Y-tube olfactometer was used. In the Y-arms, a bug, a maize seedling, a combination of both, or sand only was offered. Six experiments were carried out with differently treated Y-arms. Nematodes were significantly attracted to maize as well as to the combination of maize and bug, but not to C. bergi alone or to sand only. The influence of the feeding strategy of C. bergi on the host finding behaviour of H. megidis is discussed.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Hans-Michael Poehling, Christian Borgemeister, Andreas Gaigl, Ralf-Udo Ehlers, Lemma Ebssa

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
environment - cropping system/rotation
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.
	Cyrtomenus bergi	Maize/corn (Zea mays)
Heterorhabditis megidis/Photorhabdus temperata (entomopathogen)	Cyrtomenus bergi	Maize/corn (Zea mays)