Control ofOtiorhynchus sulcatus(Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) Larvae on a Range of Hardy Ornamental Nursery Stock Species Using the Entomogenous FungusMetarhizium anisopliae

Abstract

The potential of the entomogenous fungus Metarhizium anisopliae as a microbial control agent for vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) larvae was examined on a range of outdoor hardy nursery stock species. A curative application of M. anisopliae conidia (5× 108 conidia l‐1compost) reduced larval numbers by 62% on Skimmia japonica ’Rubella’ and by up to 43% on Viburnum plicatum ’Mariesii’. Four M. anisopliae isolates were examined and all reduced the larval populations on both species. However, the reductions were only significant with strains 159–83 and 100–82 on S. japonica ’Rubella’ and 100–82 on V. plicatum ’Mariesii’. Larval development on two other species (Hydrangea macrophylla ’Blue Wave’ and Thuja plicata ’Zebrina') which had been treated with 0.05% Triton X‐100 (the control treatment) was very poor and therefore it was not possible to determine whether or not the fungal drench had any effect. The experiment was repeated in the following year at two different sites, East Mailing and Littlehampton, u...