Abstract
In 2011, a field block trial examined the biological control of white grubs of June beetle (Amphimallon solstitialis), margined vine chafer (Anomala dubia) and garden chafer (Phyllopertha horticola) on a permanent cut grassland in Gotenica (SE Slovenia). The efficacy of Beauveria brongniartii, Beauveria bassiana, Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora in the form of water suspension and infested grain was tested against a control treatment. The initial number of white grubs (April 12; 39 white grubs/m2) was reduced with all tested entomopathogens up until the third evaluation (May 26; 32 white grubs/m2). However, the studied treatments were not sufficient to reduce the white grub population in the soils below the economical threshold (20 individuals/m2). The average number of white grubs was affected mostly by the treatment where the active ingredient was B. thuringiensis var. kurstaki. With one application in April, only the abundance of overwintered white grubs was reduced. To decrease the summer generation of white grubs, an application of biological agents is also required at a later time. The 8% higher dry matter yield at the first cut (June 10) compared to the second cut (September 6) provided evidence for the prior statement.
Highlights
White grubs are the root-feeding larvae of scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), and they are among the most destructive pests of turfgrass, pastures and horticultural plants in many parts of the world
The analysis of scarab beetles showed that the smallest amount of larvae found in the soil between April and May consisted of margined vine chafer (A. dubia) white grubs, which flew into the Gotenica area in 2010
Among the studied biological products, the number of margined vine chafer white grubs was reduced only when treated with grain covered with the B. brongniartii fungus (I=0.85) (Fig. 2), and the number of grubs increased with the other treatments during the same period
Summary
White grubs are the root-feeding larvae of scarab beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae), and they are among the most destructive pests of turfgrass, pastures and horticultural plants in many parts of the world. Important scarab species include the common European cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha [L.]), June beetle (Amphimallon solstitialis [L.]), margined vine chafer (Anomala dubia [Scop.]) and garden chafer (Phyllopertha horticola [L.]) (Jackson and Klein, 2006). Most of these white grub species are pests of nursery stock and various horticultural crops (Koppenhöfer and Fuzy, 2008a). In Slovenia, these species have the following life cycles: June beetle and margined vine chafer have a two-year life cycle; garden chafer has a one-year life cycle; and common European cockchafer has a three-year life cycle (Vrabl, 2011)
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