Biology and Management of Pest Diabrotica Species in South America

Abstract

<jats:p>The genus Diabrotica has over 400 described species, the majority of them neotropical. However, only three species of neotropical Diabrotica are considered agricultural pests: D. speciosa, D. balteata, and D. viridula. D. speciosa and D. balteata are polyphagous both as adults and during the larval stage. D. viridula are stenophagous during the larval stage, feeding essentially on maize roots, and polyphagous as adults. The larvae of the three species are pests on maize, but D. speciosa larvae also feed on potatoes and peanuts, while D. balteata larvae feed on beans and peanuts. None of these species express a winter/dry season egg diapause, displaying instead several continuous, latitude-mediated generations per year. This hinders the use of crop rotation as a management tool, although early planting can help in the temperate regions of the distribution of D. speciosa. The parasitoids of adults, Celatoria bosqi and Centistes gasseni, do not exert much control on Diabrotica populations, or show potential for inundative biocontrol plans. Management options are limited to insecticide applications and Bt genetically modified (GM) maize. Other techniques that show promise are products using Beauveria bassiana and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, semiochemical attractants for monitoring purposes or as toxic baits, and plant resistance.</jats:p>

Nudivirus Sequences Identified from the Southern and Western Corn Rootworms (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

“…Corn rootworms are major insect pests of corn in the Americas and Europe [ 1 ]. The four North American corn rootworm species and subspecies are the western corn rootworm (WCR, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte), Mexican corn rootworm (MCR, Diabrotica virgifera zeae Krysan & Smith), and northern corn rootworm (NCR, Diabrotica barberi Smith & Lawrence) in the virgifera species group of Diabrotica beetles; and the southern corn rootworm (SCR, Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber) in the fucata species group [ 2 ].…”

Soybean images dataset for caterpillar and Diabrotica speciosa pest detection and classification

“…When feeding, they make small round holes in the leaf. Diabrotica speciosa also makes incisions on the edges of the leaves [4] . Diabrotica speciosa in the adult stage are defoliators and can cause direct damage to pods and flowers [2] .…”

Total synthesis of (6R,12R)‐6,12‐dimethylpentadecan‐2‐one, the sex pheromone of Diabrotica balteata LeConte

“…1,2 This pest has spread throughout tropical, subtropical, and semiarid regions of the continent 3,4 and has a wide range of host plants including cucurbit, sweet potato, bean, peanut, maize, grain amaranth, and so on. 5,6 The adults feed on flowers and foliage, while the larvae damage the roots and the underground stem. Furthermore, they also cause economic damage by transmitting plant viruses.…”

“…Diabrotica balteata LeConte, the banded cucumber beetle, has become one of the most important polyphagous agricultural pests 1,2 . This pest has spread throughout tropical, subtropical, and semiarid regions of the continent 3,4 and has a wide range of host plants including cucurbit, sweet potato, bean, peanut, maize, grain amaranth, and so on 5,6 . The adults feed on flowers and foliage, while the larvae damage the roots and the underground stem.…”