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Submitted to: Entomological News
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal Publication Acceptance Date: 9/1/1997 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: The Colorado potato beetle is the single most important pest on potatoes in the United States. Pesticide efficacy against the beetle has declined rapidly, as the pest has developed resistance to nearly every class of chemical insecticides, making it one of the most difficult pests to control in vegetable crops. There is a need for alternative control programs that can slow development of resistance and be environmentally safe. The use of the egg parasite Edovum puttleri in IPM programs is such an alternative. However, one of the limiting factors for implementing a large scale release program of the parasite is the inability to provide adequate numbers on demand. If a method could be developed to stockpile eggs, the parasite could be reared on a continuous basis. This study shows the feasibility of using previously cryostored (-70 degrees Centigrade) eggs for rearing the parasite. Much more work has to be done, but now the possibility exists for the stockpiling of Colorado potato beetle eggs at ultra low temperatures. This information will benefit the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, APHIS, and entomologists working on improvement in rearing insects. Technical Abstract: Eggs of the Colorado potato beetle previously cryostored were suitable hosts for rearing Edovum puttleri (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Parasitism rates were low, however this study was the first to show that rearing the parasite on eggs stored 28 days or less at ultra low temperatures is feasible. |
