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Title: Efficacy of Beauveria bassiana for control of Tribolium castaneum with reduced oxygen and increased carbon dioxide

Author
item Lord, Jeffrey

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/27/2008
Publication Date: 2/1/2009
Citation: Lord, J.C. 2009. Efficacy of Beauveria bassiana for control of Tribolium castaneum with reduced oxygen and increased carbon dioxide. Journal of Applied Entomology. 133(2): 101-107. Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0418.2008.01322.x.

Interpretive Summary: This study investigated the effect of the efficacy of the insecticidal fungus Beauveria bassiana, on one of the most difficult to control pests, the red flour beetle. Atmosphere modification, is a widely adopted means of insect control in stored products. Oxygen reduction but not carbon dioxide elevation for the first 72 hours of fungus exposure resulted in greater larval mortality than was observed with fungus exposure under ambient atmospheres. Both treatments reduced pupation of older larvae suggesting that slowed development may be a beneficial factor for fungal efficacy. Carbon dioxide elevation, but not oxygen reduction significantly affected the mortality of adult beetles. Carbon dioxide elevation significantly reduced fungus germination and growth rates, but oxygen reduction affected only the growth rate. This research contributes to the search for non-chemical methods to control insect pests in stored commodities.

Technical Abstract: This study investigated the effect of atmosphere modification, being a widely adopted means of insect control in stored products, on the efficacy of Beauveria bassiana against one of the most difficult to control pests, Tribolium castaneum. Oxygen reduction to 5% (± 1%) as opposed to CO2 elevation to 40% (± 2%) for the first 72 hours of fungus exposure resulted in significantly greater larval mortality than fungus exposure under ambient atmospheres. Both treatments reduced pupation of older larvae suggesting that slowed development may be a beneficial factor for fungal efficacy. Neither oxygen reduction nor carbon dioxide elevation significantly affected the mortality of adult beetles. Carbon dioxide elevation significantly reduced B. bassiana’s germination and growth rates, but oxygen reduction did not.