Evaluation of Beauveria Bassiana Spore Applications for Control of Mole Cricket Nymphs in Turf, 1997

The efficacy of Beauveria bassiana spore (BotaniGard ES) applications in controlling mole cricket nymphs in turf, as well as the potential interaction of the fungus with the insecticide imidacloprid was investigated in a field trial. Plots 25 ft X 25 ft were established in an area with a history of mole cricket infestation on a bermudagrass fairway at the Fox Squirrel Country Club in Brunswick Co, NC. The test was set up in a CRBD with four replicates for each treatment. Plots for two of the Beauveria treatments and the Merit 0.5 G treatment plots were treated on 27 Jun with the low label rate (0.3 lb (AI)/acre) of Merit 0.5 G using a hand-held Republic EZ Handspreader®. Soil was moist at the time of application and 4-inch soil temperature was 85°F. The fairway irrigation system was used to apply 0.25 inch of water to the test site immediately following application and a long, hard rain occurred shortly thereafter. All other treatments were applied late in the afternoon on 13 Aug. The test site was pre-irrigated with approximately 0.25 inch of water using the fairway irrigation system. The 4-inch soil temperature on this date was 86°F. All Beauveria treatments were applied using a John Deere® Turf Gator-mounted re-search sprayer delivering approximately 27 gpa. The Mocap 10 G was applied using a hand-held Republic EZ handspreader®. The entire site received approximately 0.5 inch of irrigation immediately following application. Soil at the test site was classified as Leon fine sand with a pH of 6.0 and 0.86% mi-mic matter. Soapy water flush sampling at the test site indicate that the fairway population was comprised primarily of the Southern mole cricket. Plots were evaluated for fresh mole cricket damage on 20, 27 Aug, and 3, 10 Sep using the damage grid evaluation method of Cobb and Mack (1989). A m2 grid divided into nine subsections was randomly placed in the plot and a damage rating (0-9) given based on the occurrence of fresh damage in the nine sub-sections (with 0 = no damage and 9 = severe damage). Five ratings were made in each plot on each sampling date. The actual damage means are reported in the Table. All data was transformed x + 0.5 prior to ANOVA and DNMRT.