Laboratory assays of select candidate insecticides for control of Dendroctonus ponderosae

BACKGROUND: The mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae), is the most destructive bark beetle in western North America. Dendroctonus ponderosae can be prevented from successfully colonizing and killing individual trees by ground‐based sprays of insecticides applied directly to the tree bole. However, the future availability of several active ingredients, including carbaryl which is most commonly used in the western United States, is uncertain. Two novel insecticides, cyantraniliprole [Cyazypyr^?‐OD (oil dispersion) and Cyazypyr^?‐SC (suspension concentrate)] and chlorantraniliprole (Rynaxypyr^®), and carbaryl were assayed in both filter paper and topical assays. RESULTS: Compared with 20 000 mg L^?1 carbaryl (i.e. the maximum label rate for solutions applied to conifers for protection from bark beetle attack in the western United States), cyantraniliprole OD caused similar rates of mortality in D. ponderosae adults at 400‐fold weaker concentrations in both bioassays, while cyantraniliprole SC caused similar rates of mortality at 40‐fold weaker concentrations. Probit analyses confirmed that D. ponderosae is most sensitive to cyantraniliprole OD, while chlorantraniliprole was effective at concentrations similar to carbaryl. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that lower concentrations of carbaryl have merit for field testing than have been previously considered. While cyantraniliprole and chlorantraniliprole have similar modes of action, cyantraniliprole OD appears to have greater promise for protecting individual trees from mortality attributed to D. ponderosae attack and should be evaluated in field studies. Published 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Review of the Operational IPM Program for the Southern Pine Beetle

The operational Integrated Pest Management program for the southern pine beetle (SPB), Dendroctonus frontalis, currently consists of five components: prevention, prediction, detection, evaluation, and direct control. Full implementation of the program is hampered by economic, regulatory, and management constraints, and devastating SPB outbreaks still occur periodically. Recommendations for improving implementation include gaining public acceptance of the program, devising new management strategies, developing area-wide suppression techniques, coordinating efforts among landowners and government agencies, and revising the environmental analysis process. Severe outbreaks will continue without the creation of less susceptible forest conditions and more stable timber markets, plus the development of improved prediction, detection, communication, and suppression practices.     

70%噻虫嗪种子处理可分散粉剂和10%吡虫啉可湿性粉剂拌种对马铃薯甲虫的防效

利用药剂拌种处理马铃薯种薯后播种的方法,研究比较了2种新烟碱类杀虫剂对马铃薯甲虫的活性和防治效果。结果表明,按药剂有效成分18 g/100 kg种薯拌种,70%噻虫嗪种子处理可分散粉剂拌种出苗后60 d对马铃薯甲虫幼虫的生物活性和防效较高,卵块孵化率较低,死亡率在61.1%以上,防效达57.3%,孵化率为36%,这有利于降低马铃薯甲虫种群数量,减轻为害。而10%吡虫啉可湿性粉剂拌种出苗后60d对马铃薯甲虫幼虫生物活性和防效较低,卵块孵化率较高,死亡率在12.5%以下,防效为37.1%,孵化率为64.6%,对马铃薯甲虫的控制效果较差。     

Management of crop residues to reduce the aestivating population of stemborers in maize

Abstract

Stubble and old stems of maize and sorghum constitute an important reservoir for infestation of lepidopterous stemborers. Therefore, a number of experiments were conducted to assess the feasibility of managing crop residues in order to reduce aestivating populations within a complex consisting of two pyralids, Chilo partellus and C. orichalcociliellus and one noctuid, Sesamia calamistis. The survival of stemborer larvae and pupae in old stems placed horizontally on the ground was compared with survival in stems left in their vertical position after harvest. In those experiments where the post‐harvest weather was dry and hot, a significantly higher proportion of larvae and pupae died in horizontal stalks compared with stalks left in their vertical position. It is concluded that managing crop residues by placing the old stems horizontally on the ground, exposing them to the sun and heat, is suitable for both commercial and subsistence farmers because of the low input of labour and money.     

A new method to evaluate the weed‐suppressing effect of mulches: a comparison between spruce bark and cocoa husk mulches

To suppress weeds in an apple (Malus sp.) orchard, we placed spruce (Picea spp.) bark mulch and cocoa (Theobroma cacao) husk mulch for 3 months in thicknesses of 0, 2.5, 5, 10 and 15 cm. To assess the development of weed cover, an innovative use of log‐logistic dose–response models was applied, with mulch thickness as the independent variable. Weed cover was measured by non‐destructive image analysis by estimating the relationship between the number of green pixels and the total number of pixels in each experimental plot. The thickness of mulch layer required to attain a 50 and 90% weed suppression (ED50 and ED90) differed significantly within and between mulch types. In all except one instance, the cocoa mulch was superior in suppressing weeds. This method was useful for the evaluation, but further research is needed to give a more general conclusion about the suppression ability of the two mulches under other climatic and growing conditions.