(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://dx.doi.org/10.3390/insects10040117 | DOI Listing |
PeerJ
January 2025
Department of Biology, College of Science, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
An innovative approach to ticks and insect pests management is necessary to mitigate the challenges posed by the indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides, which can lead to resistance development and environmental pollution. Despite their great potential, biological control agents have significant manufacturing, application, and stability limitations. Currently, using phytochemicals, biosynthesized nanoparticles, and bioagents to get rid of arthropods might be a good alternative that would make farmers less worried about residues and resistance.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMol Phylogenet Evol
January 2025
Laboratory of Diagnosis and Integrated Management of Plant Bio-Aggressors. University of Parakou, BP123 Parakou, Borgou, Benin.
Multigene, genus-wide phylogenetic studies have uncovered the limited taxonomic resolution power of commonly used gene markers, particularly of rRNA genes, to discriminate closely related species of the nematode genus Heterorhabditis. In addition, conflicting tree topologies are often obtained using the different gene markers, which limits our understanding of the phylo- and co-phylogenetic relationships and biogeography of the entomopathogenic nematode genus Heterorhabditis. Here we carried out phylogenomic reconstructions using whole nuclear and mitochondrial genomes, and whole ribosomal operon sequences, as well as multiple phylogenetic reconstructions using various single nuclear and mitochondrial genes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInsects
December 2024
Department of Entomology, Rutgers University, 96 Lipman Dr., New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
White grubs possess natural defense mechanisms against entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs). Hence, EPN isolates that naturally infect white grubs tend to be among the most effective biological control agents of white grubs. We tested the virulence of four EPN isolates recently isolated from infected white grubs in turfgrass areas in central New Jersey, USA against third-instar larvae of , , and , which are pests of turfgrass and ornamental plants in the northeastern USA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInsects
December 2024
School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK.
The large pine weevil ( L.) is a major pest in European and Asian coniferous forests, particularly in managed plantations where clear-felling practices create ideal conditions for its population growth. Traditional management practices involving synthetic insecticides have limited efficacy in terms of reducing pest populations and pose environmental risks.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicrob Pathog
February 2025
Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University, Tabriz, Iran.
This study aimed to achieve two main objectives: first, to determine whether the virulence factors of symbiotic bacteria of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) against insect hosts are cell-associated or secreted, and to shed light on the underlying mechanisms of pathogenicity; and second, to identify and evaluate the standalone pathogenicity of symbiotic bacteria associated with entomopathogenic nematodes against Tenebrio molitor. Three bacterial species, Xenorhabdus nematophila (A41, SC, A18 and SF), Photorhabdus kayaii, and P. thracensis, were isolated and characterized via phylogenetic analysis of 16S-rRNA and gyrB genes.
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