Location: European Biological Control Laboratory
Project Number: 0212-22000-030-011-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Nov 1, 2021
End Date: Apr 30, 2024
Objective:
Initiate the development of a sustainable classical biological control program for diamond back moth (DBM) on cole crops in California by locating and screening co-evolved natural enemies from the native geographic range of this invasive pest.
Approach:
1. Collect co-evolved parasitoids of DBM from geographic areas in Europe and in Africa and maintain stock cultures of these parasitoids at the USDA-EBCL quarantine facility in France. If such transfer is deemed appropriate, an MTA will be developed for the transfer.
2. Collected parasitoids will be identified using standard taxonomic/molecular tools and reared exclusively on DBM.
3. Perform a series of lab-based experiments to evaluate the performance of these co-evolved parasitoids.
