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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Wooster, Ohio » Application Technology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #111308
Title: ENHANSING BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF TURFGRASS INSECT PESTS: WHITE GRUBS, ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODES AND IMIDACLOPRID

Author
item KOPPENHOFER, A - RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
item BROWN, I - RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
item GAUGLER, R - RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
item GREWAL, P - OSU
item KAYA, H - UC DAVIS
item Klein, Michael

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/10/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) offer an environmentally safe alternative to chemicals for control of white grubs. The efficacy of EPNs in controlling grubs can be improved if they are integrated with other pathogens, but there are limitations. A more efficient combination is EPNs and imidacloprid. Decline of the insecticide's efficacy with advancing grub development, combined with difficulty in predicting grub outbreaks, results in its application over large areas that need little or no grub control. The combination would allow curative treatments of older grubs which are easier to detect, thus, limiting treatments to infested areas, while reducing cost and environmental impact. We showed that imidacloprid interacted synergistically with EPNs in 3rd instars of Japanese beetles, oriental beetles and masked chafers. The degree of interaction varied with nematode species, but the combination could be used for curative treatments of grub infestations. In addition, imidacloprid has no effects on EPN reproduction in grubs. More hosts succumbing to EPN infection in combinations with imidacloprid can improve EPN recycling and lead to additional grub mortality and longer persistence of EPN populations.