Two native Wisconsin nematodes represent virulent biocontrol agents in cranberries

Advances in cranberry insect pest management: A literature synthesis

“…Additionally, behavioral control methods, such as mating disruption, have been evaluated (Figure 3), with newer technologies allowing for better identification of pheromones of cranberry insect pests (Rodriguez-Saona et al, 2020a). Furthermore, there has been increasing research on biological and natural control, particularly on the use of entomopathogenic nematodes for soil insect pests (Hayes et al, 1999;Koppenhöfer et al, 2008;Ye et al, 2018;Foye and Steffan, 2019).…”

“…The most popular predators used in cranberry agriculture are entomopathogenic nematodes that can be sprayed to control root pests, such as Steinernema carpocapsae Weiser (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) for the control of O. sulcatus (Hayes et al, 1999), Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae) for the cranberry rootworm, Rhabdopterus picipes Oliver (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) (Polavarapu et al, 2000), and Steinernema scarabaei Stock and Koppenhöfer (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) for P. georgiana (Koppenhöfer et al, 2008). The recently discovered nematode Oscheius onirici Torrini et al (Rhabditida: Rhabditidae) can kill S. sulfureana (Ye et al, 2018;Foye and Steffan, 2019) and A. vaccinii (Ye et al, 2018), as well as suppress S. frontalis (Foye and Steffan, 2019). Other predators that are commonly present in cranberry ecosystems include spiders (Bardwell and Averill, 1996;van Zoeren et al, 2018;de Lange et al, 2019b), staphylinid beetles (Haase-Statz, 1997, coccinellid beetles (Rodriguez-Saona et al, 2011a;Salamanca et al, 2017;de Lange et al, 2019b;Salamanca et al, 2019), chrysopid lacewings (Rodriguez-Saona et al, 2011a;de Lange et al, 2019b;Salamanca et al, 2019), and syrphid flies (Rodriguez-Saona et al, 2011a;Salamanca et al, 2017;de Lange et al, 2019b;Rodriguez-Saona et al, 2020c).…”