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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #87735
Title: FIELD CONTROL OF PINK BOLLWORM PECTINOPHORA GOSSYPIELLA (SAUNDERS) (LEPIDOPTERA: GELECHIIDAE) WITH ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODES (RHABDITIDA: STEINERNEMATIDAE) AND GOSSYPLURE IN COTTON

Author
item Gouge, Dawn
item SMITH, KIRK - BUENA BIOSYSTEMS, CA
item Henneberry, Thomas

Submitted to: Research Signpost: Recent Development in Entomology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/1/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Long staple cotton in AZ was treated at 2.5 billion nematodes/ha with nematodee applied using a spray. Long staple cotton in TX was treated at 3.2 billion nematodes/ha. with nematodes applied into the irrigation channel during field irrigation. Pink bollworm (PBW) infested cotton bolls were significantly reduced by the application of S. riobravis, and seed cotton yields from treated plots were 19% higher than from untreated plots In TX, the mortality of PBW larvae caged in biopsy cassettes was optimized 17 days after nematode application. At this point, 100% of caged larvae were infected and killed by S. riobravis. Long staple cotton fields were treated S. riobravis and S. carpocapsae. Fields were treated at a rate of 2.5 billion nematodes/ha. Caged larval mortality indicated that all application methods resulted in larval mortality ranging from 53.3% for S. carpocapsae applied via in-furrow application to 79.1%, achieved using S. riobravis applied by aircraft. At pinhead square, Frustrate PBW pheromone bands were applied at 250 bands/ha. A uniform release indicated sufficient release of pheromone for 144 days after placement. Significantly larger numbers of moths were recovered from untreated fields, higher mating activity occurred, and higher boll infestation existed. Higher mean yields were recovered from pheromone, and pheromone + nematode fields, than control fields.

Technical Abstract: Cotton fields in 2 regions were treated with entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema riobravis for control of pink bollworm (PBW). Pima S-7 cotton in AZ was treated at 2.5 billion nematodes/ha. Pima S-6 cotton in TX treated at 3.2 billion nematodes/ha. Nematodes applied in AZ persisted for 19 days in high numbers, and were still detectable in furrows after 75 days. PBW infested cotton bolls were significantly reduced by the application of S. riobravis (p=0.005), and seed cotton yields from treated plots were 19% higher than from untreated plots. In TX, nematodes persisted for 16 days in high numbers, and could be recovered from row and furrow bases after 50 days. Mortality of PBW larvae caged in biopsy cassettes was optimized 17 days after nematode application, when the nematodes had redistributed themselves within the rows and furrows. At this point, 100% of caged PBW larvae were infected and killed by S. riobravis. A third field dtrial site was used to study the affect of nematodes on over-wintering pin bollworm populations. Cotton fields were treated with 2 nematode species; S. riobravis and S. carpocapsae (Weiser). Pima S-6 cotton fields in TX were treated at a rate of 2.5 billion nematodes/ha. Caged larvae were recovered 48 hours post nematode application. Caged larval mortality indicated that all application methods resulted in uniform nematode distribution throughout the treated fields. No significant differences in mortality between nematode species or application method were observed.