Open AccessControl of Larvae of Antitrogus consanguineus (Blackburn) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) by Injection of Metarhizium anisopliae Conidia into Soil
Author(s) -
ALLSOPP P. G.,
McGILL N. G.,
LICASTRO K. A.,
MILNER R. J.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
australian journal of entomology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1440-6055
pISSN - 1326-6756
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-6055.1994.tb01216.x
Subject(s) - metarhizium anisopliae , conidium , biology , larva , hypocreales , scarabaeidae , metarhizium , horticulture , biological pest control , botany , veterinary medicine , medicine , ascomycota , biochemistry , gene
Metarhizium anisopliae strain EF173 grown on 2 kg lots of wheat grain in autoclave bags yielded 3.99 × 10 13 conidia per bag. an aqueous suspension of conidia was injected into the soil around sugarcane plants infested with southern one‐year canegrub Antitrogus consanguineus at the rate of 7.5 × 10 10 conidia per plant. the number of larvae decreased 42% by 64 d post‐treatment. 49% of the surviving larvae died from M. anisopliae after an additional 25‐d incubation period in the laboratory. In another trial, a higher dose of 3.75 × 10 11 conidia per plant was applied, yet there was no significant reduction in larval numbers 42 d post‐treatment. However, 59% of live larvae removed from treated plots and held in the laboratory died from M. anisopliae infection within 25 d. Injection of liquid formulations of M. anisopliae conidia has considerable potential for use in the control of canegrubs; the greatest constraint is the long time to achieve significant mortality.