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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #411373
Research Project: Sustainable Management of Arthropod Pests in Horticultural Crops

Location: Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit

Title: Compatibility of entomopathogenic nematodes with chemical insecticides for the control of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae)

Author
item DA COSTA DIAS, SERGIO - Universidade Federal De Pelotas
item BRIDA, ANDRESSA - Universidade Federal De Pelotas
item JEAN-BAPTISTE, MAGUINTONTZ - Universidade Federal De Pelotas
item LEITE, LUIS - Instituto Biologicio - Brazil
item OVRUISKI, SERGIO - Pilot Plant For Micorbiological Industral Processess And Biotechnology
item Lee, Jana
item MELLO GARCIA, FLAVIO - Universidade Federal De Pelotas

Submitted to: Plants
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/21/2024
Publication Date: 2/25/2024
Citation: Costa Dias, S., Brida, A.L., Jean-Baptiste, M.C., Leite, L.G., Ovruiski, S.M., Lee, J.C., Mello Garcia, F.R. 2024. Compatibility of entomopathogenic nematodes with chemical insecticides for the control of Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae). Plants. 13(5):632. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050632.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13050632

Interpretive Summary: Insect-eating nematodes can reduce infestations of spotted-wing drosophila but are not used in the field as a common practice. This paper shows that certain nematode species are compatible with insecticides, so that growers can potentially use biological control alongside a reduced rate insecticide application.

Technical Abstract: Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura) (Diptera: Drosophilidae) is a pest that reduces the productivity of small fruits. Biological control with entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and chemical insecticides suppress this pest, but the compatibility of the two approaches together requires further examination. This study evaluated the compatibility of Steinernema brazilense IBCBn 06, S. carpocapsae IBCBn 02, Heterorhabditis amazonensis IBCBn 24 and H. bacteriophora HB with ten chemical insecticides registered for managing D. suzukii pupae. In the first study, spinetoram, malathion, abamectin, azadirachtin, and lambda-cyhalothrin at the recommended rate reduced the viability (% living infective juveniles [IJ]) of S. carpocapsae. In compatibility bioassays, spinetoram, phosmet, and acetamiprid were compatible with all EPNs according to IOBC/WPRS Class 1, harmless (<30% reduction in infectivity efficiency), Whereas, lambda-cyhalothrin reduced infectivity of EPNs on D. suzukii pupae the most, by a 53, 75, 57 and 63% reduction in infectivity efficiency among H. bacteriophora, H. amazonensis, S. carpocapsae and S. brazilense, respectively. In the second study, both Heterorhabditis species caused <80% mortality among D. suzukii pupae when combined with spinetoram, malathion, azadirachtin, phosmet or novaluron at one-quarter rate. For instance, H. bacteriophora caused 78.75% mortality on D. suzukii pupae when used alone, and 88.75% mortality when combined with spinetoram. Novaluron drastically reduced the number of progeny IJs when combined with H. amazonensis by 269.62 IJs and H. bacteriophora by 217.73. Any adult flies that emerged from EPN/insecticide treatments had a shorter lifespan than controls. The combined use of Heterorhabditis and compatible chemical insecticides was promising, except for novaluron.