Location: Fruit and Tree Nut Research
Project Number: 6042-22000-024-022-A
Project Type: Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2022
End Date: Jul 31, 2024
Objective:
Develop effective biological control tools to control flatheaded borers. Specifically, to determine if nematode pheromones enhance entomopathogenic nematode efficacy.
Approach:
Various pheromones or pheromone extracts will be combined with the most promising entomopathogenic nematode species such as Steinernema carpocapsae and Steinernema feltiae (shown to be virulent in earlier lab tests). The impact of pheromones vs. a no-pheromone control will be tested in greenhouse pots, borer infested bolts and infested trees under field conditions.
