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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Crop Bioprotection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #368425
Research Project: Development of Production and Formulation Technologies for Microbial Biopesticides in Conjunction with the Development of Attractants and Repellents for Invasive Insect Pests

Location: Crop Bioprotection Research

Title: Enhanced rates of lethality to fall armyworms (Spodoptera frugiperda) after association of Beauveria bassania strain Ant 03 with sweet corn leaves

Author
item Dowd, Patrick

Submitted to: Biocontrol Science and Technology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/20/2021
Publication Date: 3/10/2021
Citation: Dowd, P.F. 2021. Enhanced rates of lethality to fall armyworms (Spodoptera frugiperda) after association of Beauveria bassania strain Ant 03 with sweet corn leaves. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 31(8):877-882. https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2021.1895071.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09583157.2021.1895071

Interpretive Summary: Biological control of insects is an environmentally acceptable form of insect management. Efficacy needs to be increased for more widespread acceptability. A strain of an insect disease was found to grow on sweet corn leaves damaged by insects. When insects were applied to the damaged leaves with insect pathogen growth, the rate of insect mortality increased over immediate application, and the amount of additional insect damage was much less. These results suggest compatible interactions between insect biological control agents and plants can promote more effective insect management, and promote use of this more environmentally acceptable insect management strategy.

Technical Abstract: Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. is a valuable biological control agent for insects. B. bassiana efficacy can be influenced by plant interactions, including secondary metabolites, but the range of interactions with maize are not well understood. B. bassianatreated sweet corn leaf tissue that had been fed on by fall armyworms, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), caused a significantly higher rate of mortality compared to leaf tissue provided to fall armyworms immediately after fungal treatment. These results suggest the ability of B. bassiana to interact with plant tissue should also be considered in selecting strains for commercial development.