Biocontrol of the apple sawfly,Hoplocampa testudinea, with entomogenous nematodes

Abstract

Four types of experiments were conducted to assess the pathogenicity of entomogenous nematodes against the apple sawfly,Hoplocampa testudinea Klug (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae). In Petri dish,Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser) DD 136 strain,S. carpocapsae All strain,S. feltiae (Filipjev) andHeterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar caused 100% larval mortality 72 h after the treatments. In semi-field conditions under dwarf apple trees, a single treatment with either 40 or 80S. carpocapsae All strain/cm2 caused significant (>80%) larval mortality. No significant increase in mortality was obtained with a second application. In 1990, late treatment with 80S. carpocapsae All strain/cm2 caused significant (39.1%) pupal mortality. In 50×50 cm quadrats under dwarf apple trees, treatment with 40 and 80S. carpocapsae All strain/cm2 were done in spring 1989. In spring 1990, respectively 22 and 25 apple sawfly adults emerged from quadrats treated with 40 and 80S. carpocapsae All strain/cm2, whereas 78 adults emerged from untreated quadrats. In a foliar application experiment, a single treatment withS. carpocapsae All strain significantly reduced the percent of fruit showing secondary damage. The possibility of using entomogenous nematodes as part of an integrated pest management in apple orchards is discussed, with particular reference to the integration of programs aimed at managing plum curculio,Conotrachelus nenuphar (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) populations.