Towards the Development of an Autocontamination Trap System to Manage Populations of Emerald Ash Borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) With the Native Entomopathogenic Fungus, <I>Beauveria bassiana</I>

Abstract

Emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) is an invasive species from Asia that was discovered in North America Canada, in 2002. Herein, we describe studies to develop an autocontamination trapping system to disseminate Beauveria bassiana to control beetle populations. The standard trap for emerald ash borer in Canada is a light green prism trap covered in an insect adhesive and baited with (Z)-3-hexenol. We compared of green multifunnel traps, green intercept panel traps (both with and without fluon coating) and green prism traps for capturing emerald ash borer in a green ash plantation. The coated green multifunnel traps captured significantly more males and more females than any other trap design. We examined the efficacy of two native B. bassiana isolates, INRS-CFL and L49-1AA. In a field experiment the INRS-CFL isolate attached to multifunnel traps in autocontamination chambers retained its pathogenicity to emerald ash borer adults for up to 43 d of outdoor exposure. Conidia germination of the INRS-CFL isolate was >69% after outdoor exposure in the traps for up to 57 d. The L49-1AA isolate was not pathogenic in simulated trap exposures and the germination rate was extremely low (<5.3%). Mean (+/- SEM) conidia loads on ash borer adults after being autocontaminated in the laboratory using pouches that had been exposed in traps out of doors for 29 d were 579,200 (+/- 86,181) and 2,400 (+/- 681) for the INRS-CFL and the LA9-1AA isolates, respectively. We also examined the fungal dissemination process under field conditions using the L49-1AA isolate in a green ash plantation. Beetles were lured to baited green multifunnel traps with attached autocontamination chambers. Beetles acquired fungal conidia from cultures growing on pouches in the chambers and were recaptured on Pestick-coated traps. In total, 2,532 beetles were captured of which 165 (6.5%) had fungal growth that resembled B. bassiana. Of these 25 beetles were positive for the L49-1AA isolate.

Improving Detection Tools for the Emerald Ash Borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae): Comparison of Prism and Multifunnel Traps at Varying Population Densities

“…Fluoncoated traps have also been shown to remain effective for several years following initial treatment (Graham and Poland 2012). Initial studies have also shown that ßuon coated multifunnel traps increase the catch of A. planipennis over Rain-X coated traps (Lyons et al 2012, Francese et al 2013.…”

Effects of Combining Microbial and Chemical Insecticides on Mortality of the Pecan Weevil (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

“…Several researchers have demonstrated successful control of multivoltine coleopterans by combining microbial and chemical insecticides (Shapiro-Ilan et al 2011). Populations of Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), an invasive Asian beetle recently discovered in North America, are controlled through auto-contamination trapping systems, which involve Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin plus Z-3-hexenol (Lyons et al 2012). The most successful strategy for management of RPW has been found to be a combination of mass trapping, chemical treatments and biological control (Murphy & Briscoe 1999;Faleiro 2006;Gindin et al 2006;El-Sufty et al 2007).…”

Field Level Auto-inoculation of Sorghum chafer, <I>Pachnoda interrupta</I> (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Scarabaedae) with <I>Metarhizium anisopliae</I> based Microbial Bio-control Agents using Locally Affordable Traps

“…Auto-inoculation devices have been developed to infect coleopteran insects such as sap beetles (e.g. Carpophilus lugubris Murray) (Dowd and Vega, 2003), rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes rhinoceros (L.)) (Moslim et al, 2011) and emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire) (Lyons et al, 2012) in a strategy that uses attraction, contamination and release of insect pests for biological control. Auto-inoculation traps (AIT) have also been used on non coleopteran insects like fruit flies (Ceratitis cosyra Walker, C. fasciventris Bezzi and C. capitata (Weidemann)) (Dimbi et al, 2003) and tsetse flies (Glossina spp.)…”

“…al., 1995;Klein and lacey, 1999;Dowd and Vega, 2003). In this technique, the target pest must be attracted to an auto-inoculation trap in substantial numbers and allowed to exit the trap after contamination with the fungal spores to horizontally transfer the inoculums to the populations elsewhere (Lyons et al, 2012). Fungal auto-dissemination within a host population occurs as a result of activities and movements of the host (Scholte et al, 2004).…”