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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Wapato, Washington » Temperate Tree Fruit and Vegetable Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #205286
Title: Field Manual of Techniques in Invertebrate Pathology: Application and Evaluation of Pathogens for Control of Insects and Other Invertebrate Pests

Author
item Lacey, Lawrence
item KAYA, HARRY - UNIV OF CA, DAVIS

Submitted to: Field Manual of Techniques in Invertebrate Pathology
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/23/2007
Publication Date: 10/1/2007
Citation: Lacey, L.A., Kaya, H.K. 2007. Field Manual of Techniques in Invertebrate Pathology: Application and Evaluation of Pathogens for Control of Insects and Other Invertebrate Pests, 2nd ed. 868 pp. Springer, Dordrecht.

Interpretive Summary: Insects and mites can be serious pests of several crops, forests, and structures and are important in human and animal health. These pests are traditionally controlled with broad spectrum pesticide. Due to uncertainty regarding the future availability of organophosphate and other conventional chemical insecticides, microbial control agents (virus, bacteria, microsporidia, fungi, and nematodes) will play increasingly important roles in insect pest management (IPM). In order to evaluate these agents properly, procedures have been developed that are unique to their use in agriculture, forestry, and urban and medical entomology. Scientists at the USDA-ARS laboratory in Wapato, WA and the University of California, Davis, designed a Field Manual in Invertebrate Pathology that will provide researchers and IPM practitioners with techniques and practical guidance for the study and optimal use of microbial control agents in a variety of settings. Along with 79 experts in invertebrate pathology from around the world, they produced 40 chapters on the application and evaluation of pathogens for control of insects and other invertebrate pests.

Technical Abstract: The Field Manual of Techniques in Invertebrate Pathology is designed to provide background and instruction on a broad spectrum of techniques and their use in the evaluation of entomopathogens in the field. The intended audience includes researchers, graduate students, practitioners of integrated pest management (IPM), regulators and those conducting environmental impact studies of entomopathogens. The book is comprised of 40 chapters divided into 10 sections to provide the tools required for planning experiments with entomopathogens and their implementation in the field. The basic tools include chapters on the theory and practice of application of microbial control agents, statistical considerations in the design of experiments, and three chapters on application equipment and strategies. One section includes individual chapters on the major pathogen groups (virus, bacteria, microsporidia, fungi, and nematodes) and special considerations for their evaluation under field conditions. This section sets the stage for subsequent chapters on the impact of naturally occurring and introduced exotic pathogens and inundative application of icrobial control agents (MCAs). Twenty-three chapters on the application and evaluation of MCAs in a wide variety of agricultural, forest, domestic and aquatic habitats comprise the main section of the Field Manual. In addition to insect pests, the inclusion of mites and slugs broadens the scope of the book. The three final chapters include: special consideration for evaluation of Bt transgenic plants; resistance to insect pathogens and strategies to manage resistance; and guidelines for evaluating effects of MCAs on nontarget organisms.