Biological Control of Alfalfa Snout Beetle with a multi-species application of locally adapted persistent entomopathogenic nematodes: The first success

Insect Pests in Forage Crops and Integrated Plant Protection

“…The high population density disturbs strongly the density of alfalfa stands (occurs thinning) which impose their early plowing. Strongly attacked stands can be destroyed for one-two years and at a moderate infestation, the permanence of alfalfa reduces to two-three years [14,15]. The potential problems to host plants arising from a root attack by insects include: drought stress to the plant caused by pruning of the root system [16], loss of reproductive output [17] and an increase in the plant's susceptibility to infection by soil-borne pathogens [18].…”

Biological Control of Alfalfa Snout Beetle with Persistent Entomopathogenic Nematodes

“…On the farm where the original research on control of ASB with EPNs was conducted, the movement of soil by farm equipment was observed to aid in the redistribution of EPNs and the subsequent collapse of ASB, leading to the inoculation strategy of treating strips perpendicular to the direction of field tilling (Shields et al 2009). Unassisted EPN movement in the alfalfa system has been reported by Neumann and Shields (2011) and a subsequent experiment has documented a longer-distance movement associated with the movement of soil during tillage ( Fig.…”

“…Emerging adult populations can frequently exceed 2 million beetles per hectare, and with a host range of more than 20 common plants, once an area is infested with this insect, it is considered permanently infested. An in-depth discussion of this insect's introduction to the U.S., as well as its distribution, life history, economic impact, and attempts at management were reported in an earlier American Entomologist article (Shields et al 2009). Shields et al (2009) also reported on the first success in controlling this important insect on a single farm with persistent entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) native to New York.…”

“…An in-depth discussion of this insect's introduction to the U.S., as well as its distribution, life history, economic impact, and attempts at management were reported in an earlier American Entomologist article (Shields et al 2009). Shields et al (2009) also reported on the first success in controlling this important insect on a single farm with persistent entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) native to New York. This article is focused on the steps necessary to turn a single farm's success into an ongoing area-wide biological control program against ASB using a single field inoculation of northern New York-adapted persistent EPNs for multi-season control of this insect.…”

Comparing high throughput sequencing and real time qPCR for characterizing entomopathogenic nematode biogeography

“…Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) in the genera Steinernema and Heterorhabditis, have been the subject of extensive research for more than a half century, due to their potential as biocontrol agents of many pest insects. Much of this work is oriented toward utilizing EPNs in either an inoculative (Parkman et al, 1993;Shields et al, 2009) or an inundate release strategy as a biopesticide (Duncan et al, 1996;Shapiro-Ilan et al, 2015). Development of mass production technology and easy-to-use formulations led to the expanded use of EPN and modest commercial successes in some markets (Dolinski et al, 2012;Georgis et al, 2006).…”