Abstract
The objective of this work was to evaluate the efficacy of two nematodes, Steinernema feltiae and S. carpocapsae, to control mushroom flies and to evaluate the effect of these treatments on Agaricus bisporus production. Two mushroom cultivation trials were carried out in controlled conditions, in substrate previously infested with the diptera Megaselia halterata and Lycoriella auripila, with two treatments: 106infective juveniles (IJ) per square meter of S. feltiae and 0.5x106IJ m-2S. feltiae + 0.5x106IJ m-2S. carpocapsae. Another experiment was carried out using the same treatments to evaluate the possible nematode effect on mushroom yield. The number of adults emerging from the substrate was evaluated for each fly species. No decrease in the population of M. halterata was detected with nematode application, whereas the number of L. auripila was reduced in both treatments, particularly in the individual treatment with S. feltiae. The application of entomopathogenic nematodes has no adverse effect on mushroom production.
Highlights
The phorid Megaselia halterata (Wood) and the sciarid Lycoriella auripila Winnertz are common pests in mushroom farms of Castilla‐La Mancha, Spain (Navarro et al, 2002)
The ineffectiveness of S. feltiae for controlling phorids agrees with most of the consulted bibliography (Grewal et al, 1993; Jess et al, 2005). It contrasts with the findings of Long et al (2000) in laboratory bioassays. These authors reported that S. feltiae is effective in the control of M. halterata, probably because nematodes applied on growing substrates show different behavior
The results of the present work contrast with the findings of other authors, who observed a reduction of more than 70% in the emergence of M. halterata adults after the application of S. feltiae (Scheepmaker et al, 1997; Erler et al, 2009b)
Summary
The phorid Megaselia halterata (Wood) and the sciarid Lycoriella auripila Winnertz are common pests in mushroom farms of Castilla‐La Mancha, Spain (Navarro et al, 2002). In their larval stage, these flies feed on mushroom mycelia and even burrow into mushrooms once they are formed (Shamshad, 2010); as adults, they act as vectors of other pests and diseases (Clift et al, 2004; Navarro Lozano et al, 2004; Shamshad et al, 2009; Shamshad, 2010). Other methods for controlling flies are based on the use of physical barriers to exclude adult individuals from growing in farms (Coles, 2002); on biocontrol organisms, such as mites, bacteria and entomopathogenic nematodes; and, more recently, on plant extracts (Jess & Bingham, 2004; Shamshad et al, 2008; Erler et al, 2009a, 2009b)
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