First Screening of Entomopathogenic Nematodes and Fungus as Biocontrol Agents against an Emerging Pest of Sugarcane, (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae).

Insects

Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Faculty of AgriSciences, Stellenbosch University, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South Africa.

Published: April 2019

(Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is an emerging pest of sugarcane in South Africa. The larvae of this cerambycid beetle live within the sugarcane stalk and drill galleries that considerably reduce sugar production. To provide an alternative to chemical control, entomopathogenic nematodes and fungus were investigated as potential biological control agents to be used in an integrated pest management system. The nematodes , , , and different concentrations of the fungus were screened for efficacy (i.e., mortality rate) against larvae of . The different biocontrol agents used, revealed a low level of pathogenicity to larvae, when compared to control treatments.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6523324PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects10040117DOI Listing

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