Biological Control of <I>Bactocera oleae</I> (Diptera: Tephritidae) Using a Greek <I>Bacillus thuringiensis</I> Isolate

Abstract

Bacillus thuringiensis, isolate 114A, was used in toxicity experiments against the wild population ofthe olive pest Bactroceria oleae (Gmelin). In laboratory experiments, spores and crystals of the B.t. were delivered to the insects with the food. Longevity, oviposition period, number of eggs produced, and percent hatch were recorded. Olive fruits from the oviposition test were dipped into a suspension containing spores and crystals of B. thuringiensis 114A after the eggs were deposited. In field experiments, four to six sprayings per year of B.t. 114A isolate were applied for three successive years. It was found that, in addition to the longevity of B. oleae, the oviposition period, number of eggs and percent egg hatch decreased. Also, the percentage of pupation and emergence was reduced when olive fruits with eggs in their mesocarp were dipped in the solution of spores and crystals. Field applications with the toxins of 114A isolate of B. thuringiensis have resulted in significant protection of the olive production.

Host species, age and sex as factors affecting the susceptibility of the African Tephritid fruit fly species, Ceratitis capitata, C. cosyra and C. fasciventris to infection by Metarhizium anisopliae

“…However, due to the adverse effects of chemical pesticides on the environment, considerable progress has been made in recent years to develop environmentally benign pest control methods in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs (Vä nninen et al, 2000;Ayyappath et al, 2000). Thus, several entomopathogens including fungi are being developed as biological control agents for various insect species including tephritid fruit flies (Navrozidis et al, 2000;Lezama-Gutierrez et al, 2000, Castillo et al, 2001Ekesi et al, 2002). Recently at the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), steps have been undertaken to develop entomopathogenic fungi as biological control agents for the management of African fruit fly species.…”

Biocontrol of <I>Bactrocera oleae</I> (Diptera: Tephritidae) With <I>Metarhizium brunneum</I> and Its Extracts

“…To date, Bacillus thuringiensis strains with adequate insecticidal activity against B. oleae are not available for practical use (Navrozidis et al 2000). In the absence of baculovirus diseases and protozoa in the olive fruit ßy, the possibilities of using entomopathogenic microorganisms are restricted to entomopathogenic fungi, whose unique tegumentary mode of action puts them at the forefront of the global development of alternative control strategies of tephritids (Castillo et al 2000, Quesada-Moraga et al 2006b, Ekesi et al 2007); however, their use against B. oleae has not yet been studied.…”

Altered GPI modification of insect AChE improves tolerance to organophosphate insecticides

“…As most Tephritids, the olive fruit fly is a pest of great economic importance: it constitutes the most destructive and intractable pest of olives in almost every country where wild and cultivated olive trees (Oleae) grow (Navrozidis et al, 2000). Damage is caused by oviposition of eggs in the fruit and feeding of the emerged larvae upon the pulp, which results in a significant quantitative and qualitative decrease in the production of table olives and olive oil (Neuenschwander and Michelidakis, 1978).…”