Use of insect pathogen Bacillus thuringiensis for control of grubs (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in turf

Abstract

An evaluation was performed for host range of Bacillus thuringiensis tolworthi, kumamotoensis, and japonensis against the following scarab turfgrass pests (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Anomala cuprea, Atenius sp., Cotinis sp., Cyclocephala borealis, Cyclocephala lurida, Cyclocephala pasadenae, Popillia japonica, Phyllophaga sp. Results showed Bacillus thuringiensis tolworthi and Bacillus thuringiensis japonensis to have activity against U.S. economic grub pests Cyclocephala borealis, Cyclocephala lurida, and Popillia japonica while Bacillus thuringiensis kumamotoensis was active against Cotinis sp. Other U.S. turfgrass pests tested, Atenius sp. and Phyllophaga sp. had no detectable susceptibility to any of the three isolates. Bacillus popilliae was inactive against Cyclocephala pasadenae. ' Dow AgroSciences, 5501 Oberlin Drive, San Diego CA 92121 ^ USDA-ARS Com Insects and Crop Genetics Research Unit, Genetics Laboratory, ISU, Ames, lA 50011 ^ Department of Entomology, Iowa State University, Ames, lA SOOl 1