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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Byron, Georgia » Fruit and Tree Nut Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #126732
Title: SUSCEPTIBILITY OF THE PLUM CURCULIO, CONOTRACHELUS NENUPHAR, TO ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODES

Author
item Shapiro Ilan, David
item MIZELL, RUSSELL - UNIV. OF FLORIDA
item Campbell, James - Jim

Submitted to: Journal of Nematology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/26/2002
Publication Date: 9/1/2002
Citation: SHAPIRO ILAN, D.I., MIZELL, R.F., CAMPBELL, J.F. SUSCEPTIBILITY OF THE PLUM CURCULIO, CONOTRACHELUS NENUPHAR, TO ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODES. JOURNAL OF NEMATOLOGY. 2002. v.34. p.246-249.

Interpretive Summary: The plum curculio is a major pest of pome and stone fruit. Our objective is to develop environmentally friendly ways to control this pest and other orchard pests. One promising method is the use of entomopathogenic nematodes. Entomopathogenic nematodes are tiny round worms that kill many important insect pests, but do not harm humans, other animals, or the environment. In the laboratory we compared the ability of six commercially available nematode species to kill plum curculio. We found several species have promise to suppress immature and adult weevils.

Technical Abstract: The plum curculio, Conotrachelus nenuphar, is a major pest of pome and stone fruit. Our objective was to determine virulence and reproductive potential of six commercially available namatode species in C. nenuphar larvae and adults. Nematodes tested were Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Hb strain), H. marelatus (Point Reyes strains), H. megidis (UK211 strain), Steinernema riobrave (355 strain), S. carpocapsae (All strain), and S. feltiae (SN strain). Survival of C. nenuphar larvae treated with S. feltiae and S. riobrave, and survival of adults treated with S. carpocapsae and S. riobrave, was reduced relative to non-treated insects whereas other nematode treatments were not different from the control. C. nenuphar larvae were more susceptible to S. feltiae infection than the adults, but for the other nematode species there was no significant stage effect. All nematode species reproduced in the host.