An Autodissemination System for the Control of Brown Winged Green Bug, Plautia crossota stali Scott (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) by an Entomopathogenic Fungus, Beauveria bassiana E-9102 Combined with Aggregation Pheromone.

Abstract

The brown winged green bug, Plautia crossota stali Scott (PCS), is a serious pest in major fruits orchards in Japan. To test the feasibility of controlling PCS with an entomopathogenic fungus, in 2000 and 2001, we set up 29 and 20 inoculum stations, respectively, in an 650-ha pilot area. The average mortality rates of PSC collected from 5 pheromone traps in the area were 28% and 35% in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Broad-leaved trees were used for the inoculum stations. Five or 10 lures containing synthesized aggregation pheromone and 20 non-woven fabric sheets containing the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana E-9102 were attached to each tree. Both males and females of PCS were attracted to the station and were infected with conidia dispersed from the sheets. The average mortality rates of PCS adults collected from the inoculum stations were consistently between 75% and 70% in 2000 and 2001, respectively, until about 30 days after the inoculum station was installed. It has been suggested that the stink bug trap consists of aggregation pheromone and B. bassiana E-9102 seems promising for the control of PCS in Japan.

Entomopathogenic fungi and insect behaviour: from unsuspecting hosts to targeted vectors

“…The brown winged green bug, Plautia crossota stali (Scott), is a pest in fruit orchards in Japan but is susceptible to B. bassiana (Tsutsumi et al 2003). Through incorporating aggregation pheromone into woven sheets that were contaminated with B. bassiana and attached to trees, both males and females became infected with the fungus and average mortality rates of 70-75% were achieved (Tsutsumi et al 2003).…”

Formation of aggregations in adults of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae): The role of antennae in short-range locations

“…For example, for other pest stink bugs, the application of pheromones has been studied (e.g. McBrien and Millar, 1999;Tsutsumi et al, 2003), and natural enemies such as egg parasitoid wasps and tachinid flies have been assessed as biological control agents (Corrêa-Ferreira and Moscardi, 1996;Coombs and Sands, 2000;Mizutani, 2001). However, we have no resources that would be useful as strategies for an alternative to chemical spraying to control H. halys.…”

Laboratory studies on the infection of stink bugs with Metarhizium anisopliae strain FRM515

“…3). The auto-dissemination system combined with an aggregation pheromone for controlling P. c. stali (Tsutsumi et al, 2003) would be an effective method for infection.…”