Efficacy of Steinernema spp. Plus Anti-desiccants to Control Two Serious Foliage Pests of Vegetable Crops, Spodoptera litura F. and Plutella xylostella L

Publication date: Available online 7 March 2016 Source:Biological Control Author(s): Atirach Noosidum, Pattira Satwong, Angsumarn Chandrapatya, Edwin E. Lewis Survival rates of the infective juvenile stage (IJ) of two entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN), Steinernema carpocapsae and Steinernema sp. isolate K8 (Thai isolate), plus a surfactant of 0.2% and 0.4% APSA-80TM, a fire retardant gel of 0.25% and 0.5% Barricade®, and tap water were investigated by spraying the EPN suspensions (200 IJs) onto kale leaf discs. Three h after incubation, the survival rates of the EPNs plus 0.25% and 0.5% Barricade® (80.2-85.0%) were significantly higher than all other treatments (12.9-70.1%). The infectivity of the two EPNs plus 0.25% and 0.5% Barricade® against third-instar Spodoptera litura F. and Plutella xylostella L., which were evaluated by spraying 100 IJs/50 μl onto a 1 cm kale leaf disc in the laboratory, were 82.5-100% 72 h after application. In greenhouse tests, the infectivity of S. carpocapsae plus 0.25% and 0.5% Barricade® against third-instar S. litura and P. xylostella was evaluated by spaying 2,500 IJs/15 ml/plant and assessing mortality after 72 h. The results showed that the mortality rates of S. litura larvae in the S. carpocapsae plus 0.25% or 0.5% Barricade® treatment (66.0% and 61.5%, respectively) were significantly higher than in the S. carpocapsae plus tap water treatment (29.5%) and also resulted in significantly less leaf damage (11.0-11.1%) compare...
Source: Biological Control - Category: Biology Source Type: research