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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Byron, Georgia » Fruit and Tree Nut Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #391144
Research Project: Novel Approaches for Managing Key Pests of Peach and Pecan

Location: Fruit and Tree Nut Research

Title: Formulation of an IPM package for the management of pangaeus bilineatus (say) (heteroptera: cynidae)from combinations of entomopathogens and insecticides

Author
item MBATA, GEORGE - Fort Valley State University
item LI, YINPING - Fort Valley State University
item Shapiro Ilan, David

Submitted to: Journal of Pest Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/2022
Publication Date: 10/2/2022
Citation: Mbata, George, Li, Y., Shapiro Ilan, D.I. 2022. Formulation of an IPM package for the management of pangaeus bilineatus (say) (heteroptera: cynidae)from combinations of entomopathogens and insecticides. Journal of Pest Science. 78 : 4719-4727. https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.7092.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ps.7092

Interpretive Summary: The peanut burrower bug is a significant pest of peanuts. Current control practices focus on the use of chemical insecticides. However, due to environmental and regulatory concerns alternative methods of control are needed to reduce chemical inputs. Moreover, the current chemical insecticide that is used most against this pest (chlorpyrifos) is scheduled to be removed from the market. In this study we explored the potential of a beneficial nematode to control the peanut burrower bug, and the possibility to combine the nematode with an alternative chemical. Beneficial nematodes (unlike plant parasitic nematodes) are harmless to plants. Beneficial nematodes are environmentally-friendly bio-insecticides. We tested a group nematode species to see which one is most effective against peanut burrower bug. We found that the species called Steinernema carpocapsae is most effective. We then tested how this nematode performs when applied alone or with a chemical insecticide called imidacloprid. The nematode and imidaclorprid produced synergistic levels of mortality in the peanut burrower bug. Therefore, we conclude that combinations of the nematode and alternate chemical have great potential for control of the peanut burrower bug.

Technical Abstract: BACKGROUND: The peanut burrower bug, Pangaeus bilineatus, is a major crop pest of peanuts in the southern United States. Peanuts infested by P. bilineatus exhibit weight and quality losses and could be discounted up to 50% of the prevailing price. Control of this pest is difficult because it attacks mature peanut pods underground, thus rendering foliar pesticide applications ineffective. Integration of entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes with chemical insecticides in the management of the populations of P. bilineatus was investigated as a potential IPM containment tool. RESULTS: Results from this study showed that the nymphs were less susceptible than adults of P. bilineatus to entomopathogenic nematodes. In the first experiment that compared six strains of both Heterorhabditis spp. and Steinernema spp., the most virulent nematode was Steinernema carpocapsae (All) that caused 75.54% mortality of P. bilineatus adults after 7 days post-inoculation. Application of imidacloprid by itself at half field rate did not result in any significant mortality of P. bilineatus adults but application of chlorpyrifos at 0.2 field rate caused significant mortality at 7 – 14 d post-inoculation. However, combined applications of S. carpocapsae and imidacloprid resulted in significant mortality at 3 d post-inoculation. The interactions between S. carpocapsae and imidacloprid were synergistic at 3, 5, d post-inoculation, thereafter (7 – 14 dpi), the relationship became additive. Imidacloprid did not negatively impact the reproduction of S. carpocapsae. CONCLUSION: This reported compatibility between S. carpocapsae and imidacloprid makes a case for the combination to be used in an integrated approach for the management of P. bilineatus.