Articles
CONTROL OF CURCULIO NUCUM, THE HAZELNUT BORER, BY ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODES
Article number
845_89
Pages
567 – 570
Language
English
Abstract
Hazelnut borer, Curculio nucum, is a very harmful pest that can cause up to 80% of losses in hazelnut plantations.
The pest is expanding fast, it is difficult to fight, as its larvae are protected in the nuts or in the soil, and few available insecticides are still authorised.
Entomopathogenic nematodes from the genus Heterorhabditis are obligate parasites of insects: they have the ability to search and parasitize the prey in the soil.
The attacked larvae die within two-three days and become a source of nutrients for the nematodes, which reproduce inside the cadavers of the prey.
In this work, we present the field application of an entomopathogenic-based product containing infective larvae of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora to control the hazelnut borer.
Nematodes were applied by the end of July, when the larvae of C. nucum start falling on the soil.
The number of applied nematodes was 500,000 infective larvae/m2 distributed in one and two application times.
The soil was irrigated before and after the application.
Alternative treatments were performed by applying the nematodes with Beauveria brognartii and by applying another species of entomopathogenic nematodes, H. megidis. The efficacy of the treatments was assessed by scoring dead and alive larvae of the hazelnut borer buried in the field trials in tube cages.
The best result, with 72% of efficacy, was obtained with two applications of H. bacteriophora at the rate of 250,000 larvae/m2. H. bacteriophora is a valid tool to combat the infestation of C. nucum in hazelnut plantations and to safeguard the production economy.
Its insecticidal activity reaches a high level of insect control, with a preventative action on the larvae before their development into adults.
The entomopathogenic nematodes are safe for humans and the environment and they do not leave residues.
The pest is expanding fast, it is difficult to fight, as its larvae are protected in the nuts or in the soil, and few available insecticides are still authorised.
Entomopathogenic nematodes from the genus Heterorhabditis are obligate parasites of insects: they have the ability to search and parasitize the prey in the soil.
The attacked larvae die within two-three days and become a source of nutrients for the nematodes, which reproduce inside the cadavers of the prey.
In this work, we present the field application of an entomopathogenic-based product containing infective larvae of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora to control the hazelnut borer.
Nematodes were applied by the end of July, when the larvae of C. nucum start falling on the soil.
The number of applied nematodes was 500,000 infective larvae/m2 distributed in one and two application times.
The soil was irrigated before and after the application.
Alternative treatments were performed by applying the nematodes with Beauveria brognartii and by applying another species of entomopathogenic nematodes, H. megidis. The efficacy of the treatments was assessed by scoring dead and alive larvae of the hazelnut borer buried in the field trials in tube cages.
The best result, with 72% of efficacy, was obtained with two applications of H. bacteriophora at the rate of 250,000 larvae/m2. H. bacteriophora is a valid tool to combat the infestation of C. nucum in hazelnut plantations and to safeguard the production economy.
Its insecticidal activity reaches a high level of insect control, with a preventative action on the larvae before their development into adults.
The entomopathogenic nematodes are safe for humans and the environment and they do not leave residues.
Publication
Authors
B. Blum, R. Kron Morelli, V. Vinotti, A. Ragni
Keywords
Curculio nucum, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, hazelnut, biological control, field application
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