Yerel Entomopatojen Nematodların Çam Kese Böceği Thaumetopoea pityocampa Den. & Schiff. (Lepidoptera: Thaumetopoeidae)’ya Karşı Etkinliği

Abstract

The pine processionary moth, Thaumetopoea pityocampa Den. & Schiff. (Lepidoptera: Thaumetopoeidae), is one of the most important pests of forest trees. In this study, the efficacy of native entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) against the larvae of T. pityocampa was investigated under laboratory conditions. Isolates of Steinernema carpocapsae Weiser, S. feltiae Filipjev (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae), Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (91) Poinar and H. bacteriophora (200) (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae) from İstanbul, Sakarya and Çanakkale Provinces of Turkey were used in the study. Thaumetopoea pityocampa larvae were collected from infested trees on the campus of Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University in Canakkale Province. The efficacy assays were conducted with 1 larva and 200 infective juveniles (IJs) nematodes in a plastic petri dish at 10, 15 and 25 oC. The larvae were checked daily for 7 days after inoculation with the IJs and the mortalities were recorded. No mortality of T. pityocampa larvae was observed on the first day. Depending on the nematode species and the temperature, larval mortality ranged from 60% to 100%. Based on the results of this study, there is considerable potential for the use of EPNs for the biological control of T. pityocampa.