Effectiveness of Emamectin Benzoate and Propiconazole for Protecting Picea engelmannii (Pinales: Pinaceae) from Mortality Attributed to Dendroctonus rufipennis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Wyoming

Abstract

Spruce beetle, Dendroctonus rufipennis Kirby (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), causes significant mortality of mature spruce, Picea spp. (Pinales: Pinaceae), in western North America. We evaluated the effectiveness of two formulations of bole injections of emamectin benzoate (TREE-äge® G4 and TREE-äge R10; Arborjet, Inc., Woburn, MA) alone and combined with propiconazole (Propizol®; Arborjet, Inc.) for protecting Engelmann spruce, Picea engelmannii Parry ex Engelm., from mortality attributed to colonization by D. rufipennis. Treatments were injected 16–19 July 2017, and levels of Pi. engelmannii mortality were determined for 2018 and 2019. Each experimental tree (n = 30, including an untreated control group) was baited with aggregation pheromone (frontalin) June–September 2018. All surviving treated Pi. engelmannii and a second untreated control group were baited June–September 2019. Both TREE-äge G4 and TREE-äge R10 significantly reduced levels of Pi. engelmannii mortality compared with the untreated control; however, protection was limited to one field season. Protection was increased to two field seasons by combining TREE-äge G4 and TREE-äge R10 with Propizol. The addition of Propizol, a triazole fungicide, likely reduced the progression of blue stain within treated Pi. engelmannii increasing tree health and resistance to D. rufipennis.