Nematode Control of Silverleaf Nightshade (Solanum elaeagnifolium); a Biological Control Pilot Project

Abstract

The use of nematodes as biological control agents has been met with skepticism, partly due to the newness of the approach and also to the potential difficulties of using a parasitic worm as a control organism. Most of the attention directed towards nematodes as biological control agents has been focused on several species that act as insect parasites. Considerable headway has been achieved with several of these parasites, especially with those parasitic on wood-boring insect larvae. The insect gallery of wood-boring larvae provides an optimum microclimate for the nematode to survive and seek out its larval insect host. A system where this strategy has proved successful involves the use of the insect parasitic nematodeNeoaplectana carpocapsaeWeiser as a biological control agent for carpenterworms (Prionoxystus robinaePeck) in fig (Ficus cariaL.) orchards in California (6). Similar systems are being developed both here and abroad with the same nematode or a closely related genus or species. Many of these systems show promise (5).