Skip to main content
ARS Home » Midwest Area » Peoria, Illinois » National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research » Crop Bioprotection Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #84022
Title: AUTOINOCULATIVE DISPERSAL OF BIOACTIVE AGENTS BY SAP BEETLES

Author
item Dowd, Patrick
item Vega, Fernando

Submitted to: National Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/18/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: An autoinoculative device was used to have sap beetles (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae) disperse a strain of Bacillus subtilis (Kodiak strain of Gustafson, Inc.) that inhibits the growth of Aspergillus flavus) in corn. A. flavus produces highly toxic and carcinogenic compounds called aflatoxins. Lab, field cage, and 2 years of field studies all indicated the sap beetles could acquire the B. subtilis from the autoinoculator, carry it to damaged milk stage corn, and thereby inhibit A. flavus colonization/aflatoxin production. The B. subtilis was eventually dispersed throughout the 40-acre study site from a single autoinoculator. Studies are continuing with fall dispersed Beauveria bassiana (AF-4 strain) to target those mass overwintering sap beetles which carry mycotoxigenic fungi.