Biological control of Acanthoscelides obtectus and Zabrotes subfasciatus in stored dried beans

Abstract

This study assesses the feasibility of using natural enemies for the control of Acanthoscelides obtectus Say and Zabrotes subfasciatus Boheman (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), key pests of stored dried beans, Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Fabales: Fabaceae). The predatory mites Blattisocius tarsalis Berlese (Acari: Ascidae) and Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) were able to prey on A. obtectus eggs, reducing the bruchid population by more than 60% under both controlled and warehouse conditions. Therefore, they show good potential as biological agents for controlling this pest. The larval parasitoids Anisopteromalus calandrae Howard and Lariophagus distinguendus Förster (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) were both moderately effective (34-38% reduction) at suppressing A. obtectus populations, but when A. calandrae was combined with B. tarsalis, a significant improvement in control efficacy (81% reduction in emergence) was observed. Therefore, the release of A. calandrae combined with B. tarsalis seems to be a promising strategy for controlling A. obtectus. Neither B. tarsalis nor A. swirskii were able to prey on Z. subfasciatus eggs. Only the parasitoid A. calandrae was moderately effective (39% reduction) at supressing Z. subfasciatus populations. Further testing is needed to identify other natural enemies that can complement the action of A. calandrae in reducing Z. subfasciatus populations.

Investigating spatiotemporal patterns, spatial density dependence and fruit quality in a plant-bruchine-parasitoids system

“…We observed that Pteromalidae (represented by individuals from the genus Lyrcus ) and Eulophidae (represented by individuals from the genus Horismenus ) were the most abundant families of parasitoids emerging from the bruchine A. schrankiae . Other studies have also identified Pteromalidae (Sharratt and Olckers 2012; Hizal and Parlak 2013; Tuller et al 2015; Sasakawa et al 2016; Morales-Silva et al 2018; Iturralde-García et al 2020) and Eulophidae parasitoids (Gumovsky and Ramadan 2011; Pikart et al 2011, 2015; Tuller et al 2015; Wood et al 2017; Morales-Silva et al 2018, 2019; Hansson et al 2019) attacking bruchines. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first record of Horismenus missouriensis (Eulophidae) and Eupelmus pulchriceps (Eupelmidae) using A. schrankiae as a host.…”

Low‐pressure ozone injection system: relationship between reaction kinetics and physical properties of grains

“…Populations of Z. subfasciatus, Callosobruchus maculatus, and S. zeamais were reared in 0.8 L glass containers at 28 ± 2 °C, 75 ± 5% relative humidity, and 24 h scotophase. 10,17 Common beans and cowpea beans were used as the food substrate for Z. subfasciatus and C. maculatus, respectively, while popcorn kernels and corn grains were fed to S. zeamais.…”

“…7 Physical methods include moisture content reduction (drying), temperature control (aeration/cooling), grain cleaning, adequate packaging, and application of inert powders. [7][8][9] Biological control employs living organisms, such as Amblyseius swirskii (Ath.-Henr) (Acari, Gamasida, Phytoseiidae), for controlling eggs of Zabrotes subfasciatus (Bohemann, 1833) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), 10 the larval parasitoids Anisopteromalus calandrae (Howard) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and Lariophagus distinguishandus (Föster, 1841) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), against Callosobruchus chinensis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), 11 and nematodes like Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Poinar, 1976) (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae) and Steinernema feltiae (Filipjev, 1934) (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae), against Sitophilus zeamais (Motschulsky, 1885) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). 12 Chemical control comprises the application of pesticides, and it can be preventive (with contact insecticides) or curative (phosphine fumigation, for example).…”

Assessment of Sex-Specific Toxicity and Physiological Responses to Thymol in a Common Bean Pest Acanthoscelides obtectus Say

“…However, environmental pollution and threats to human health due to insecticide residues as well as the risk of pest resistance evolution ( Guedes et al, 2017 ; Dar et al, 2020 ) forced searching for alternative management tools (reviewed in Mohapatra et al, 2015 ; Daglish et al, 2018 ; Rajendran, 2020 ). For example, recent studies on A. obtectus have evaluated efficacy of hermetic storage ( Freitas et al, 2016 ), inert dusts ( Floros et al, 2018 ; Lazarević et al, 2018 ; Prasantha et al, 2019 ), predators and parasitoids ( Iturralde-García et al, 2020 ), insecticidal products of entomopatogenic bacteria and fungi ( Rodríguez-González et al, 2018 , 2020 ), as well as plant-derived products ( Kısa et al, 2018 ; Jevremović et al, 2019 ; Hategekimana and Erler, 2020 ; Lazarević et al, 2020 ).…”