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Development of a new dispenser for microbiological control agents and evaluation of dissemination by bumblebees in greenhouse strawberries
Author(s) -
Mommaerts Veerle,
Put Kurt,
Vandeven Jessica,
Jans Kris,
Sterk Guido,
Hoffmann Lucien,
Smagghe Guy
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
pest management science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.296
H-Index - 125
eISSN - 1526-4998
pISSN - 1526-498X
DOI - 10.1002/ps.1995
Subject(s) - bombus terrestris , bumblebee , foraging , greenhouse , integrated pest management , biology , pollinator , toxicology , vector (molecular biology) , biological pest control , pollination , pest control , pest analysis , crop , agricultural engineering , agronomy , ecology , horticulture , engineering , pollen , biochemistry , gene , recombinant dna
BACKGROUND: To date, in modern agriculture, biological control strategies are increasingly becoming the preferred pest management approach. However, the success of microbiological control agents (MCAs) largely depends on efficient dissemination into the crop. The pollinator‐and‐vector technology employs pollinating insects like bees for a better dissemination. In this study, a new dispenser for bumblebee workers of Bombus terrestris L. was developed. Binab‐T‐vector and Prestop‐Mix were used as two typical MCA products for dissemination. RESULTS: In a first series of experiments in the laboratory for optimisation, the newly developed dispenser was a two‐way type dispenser, 20 cm long, with two rectangular compartments and different entrance and exit holes. In addition, the amounts of MCA loaded on the workers were 10 times higher with the new dispenser as compared with the side‐by‐side passageway (SSP) dispenser. Typically, the highest amounts were recovered from the thorax and legs of the workers. In a second series of experiments under greenhouse conditions with the use of queen‐right B. terrestris hives, successful dissemination in strawberry flowers was obtained at different distances from the hive (0–8 m, 8–18 m and 18–21 m), and the workers inoculated the first, second and third flowers that were consecutively visited. In addition, the new dispenser caused no adverse effects on worker foraging intensity, whereas a dramatic reduction was scored with an SSP dispenser. Finally, the data suggested that it is necessary to refill the newly developed dispenser at 3 day intervals. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrated that, with the use of the newly developed dispenser, bumblebee workers carried high amounts of MCA, and this resulted in a successful dissemination of MCA into strawberry flowers. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry