Beauveria bassiana strain ATCC 74040 (Naturalis®), a valuable tool for the control of the cherry fruit fly (Rhagoletis cerasi)

Naturalis® is a bioinsecticide based on living conidiospores of the naturally occuring Beauveria bassiana strain ATCC 74040. The entomopathogenic fungus acts primarily by contact: once attached to the insect’s cuticle, the conidiospores germinate producing penetration hyphae, which enter and proliferate inside the insect’s body. The fungus invades and feeds on its host, causing its death due to dehydration and/or depletion of nutrients. Several years of laboratory, semi-field and field studies showed that also Tephritid flies (Ceratitis capitata, Rhagoletis cerasi, Bactrocera oleae) are susceptible to infection by B. bassiana strain ATCC 74040. The results of efficacy trials conducted in 2004-05 are reported. Naturalis was tested both alone and in an integrated pest management strategy. The product showed high efficacy in controlling R. cerasi, comparable to or higher than that of the chemical reference treatment. The B. bassiana-based product Naturalis can thus be considered an efficient tool for the control of the cherry fruit fly

Toxicity of G-P Compound Bioinsecticide to Aphids and Their Natural Enemies in Soybean Fields

The results of both laboratory and field tests on the toxicity of GP compound bioinsecticide to aphids and their natural enemies in soybean fields were reported in this paper. In the laboratory tests, aphid mortalities of 77.3% to 80.5% were achieved 24 hours after the spraying of 1 to 400 diluted G-P bioinsecticide; and the mortalities reached 91.3% to 96.1% 48 hours after the spraying. The control effects of this bioinsecticide on aphids in field test were 91.0%, which was similar to the results of 1 to 1000 diluted of 40% omethoate. The G-P bioinsecticide showed low toxicity to the natural enemies of aphids.Originating text in Chinese.Citation: Dai, Mei Xue, Zu, Ai Min. (1997). Toxicity of G-P Compound Bioinsecticide to Aphids and Their Natural Enemies in Soybean Fields. Natural Enemies of Insects, 19(2), 49-54

Perbandingan Efek Pemberian Bioinsektisida dan Ekstrak Kompos terhadap Produksi Padi Ratun dan Populasi Serangga Hama

The advantages of ratooning rice are to save water, cost production, labor, preparation time for planting and harvesting, but the ratooning productivity is still low. This research aimed to study the effect of the bioinsecticide and compost extract on ratooning rice production and insect populations. The ratooning rice was applied by bioinsecticide, compost extract, and combination of bioinsecticide and compost extract with dose 2 L ha-1 per application, respectively. Data of agronomic variables were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance, whereas insect pest population data were analyzed using Chi Square test. The seedling height of ratoon applied by compost extract was the highest among treatments. The number of productive tillers per clumps and rice production on plot applied by compost extract were higher than the insecticide treatment. At the age of 17 day-ratooning rice, application bioinsecticide reduced the population of insect pests, such as Ciccadulina bipunctata, Recilia dorsalis, Nilaparvata lugens, and Nephotettix nigropictus. Thus, application of compost extract tended to improved the growth and production of the ratooning rice, while the bioinsecticide decreased the insect pest population

Zooprophylaxis as a control strategy for malaria caused by the vector Anopheles arabiensis (Diptera: Culicidae) : a systematic review

Background: Zooprophylaxis is the use of wild or domestic animals, which are not the reservoir host of a given disease, to divert the blood-seeking malaria vectors from human hosts. In this paper, we systematically reviewed zooprophylaxis to assess its efficacy as a malaria control strategy and to evaluate the possible methods of its application. Methods: The electronic databases, PubMed Central®, Web of Science, Science direct, and African Journals Online were searched using the key terms: “zooprophylaxis” or “cattle and malaria”, and reports published between January 1995 and March 2016 were considered. Thirty-four reports on zooprophylaxis were retained for the systematic review. Results: It was determined that Anopheles arabiensis is an opportunistic feeder. It has a strong preference for cattle odour when compared to human odour, but feeds on both hosts. Its feeding behaviour depends on the available hosts, varying from endophilic and endophagic to exophilic and exophagic. There are three essential factors for zooprophylaxis to be effective in practice: a zoophilic and exophilic vector, habitat separation between human and host animal quarters, and augmenting zooprophylaxis with insecticide treatment of animals or co-intervention of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets and/or indoor residual spraying. Passive zooprophylaxis can be applied only in malaria vector control if cattle and human dwellings are separated in order to avoid the problem of zoopotentiation. Conclusions: The outcomes of using zooprophylaxis as a malaria control strategy varied across locations. It is therefore advised to conduct a site-specific evaluation of its effectiveness in vector control before implementing zooprophylaxis as the behaviour of Anopheles arabiensis mosquitoes varies across localities and circumstances

Does Cedomon work?

In 2003 there was an experiment in Agrifood Research Finland (Vihti), which compared Cedomon, Baytan, wood smoke treatment and no-treatment. Barley and oat were chosen to the experiment

Uji Efektivitas Bioinsektisida Berbahan Aktif Beauveria Bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin Terhadap Kutudaun Macrosiphoniela Sanborni Pada Krisan

Kutudaun Macrosiphoniela sanborni merupakan salah satu hama penting yang menimbulkan kerugian yang cukup serius pada budidaya krisan. Untuk mengendalikannya petani biasa menggunakan pestisida kimia sintetis. Selain itu pengendalian hayati berpotensi dapat menekan hama. Beauveria bassiana merupakan agens pengendali hayati yang memiliki potensi besar untuk mengendalikan beberapa hama penting tanaman hias. Biorama 1, 2, dan 3 merupakan bioinsektisida berbahan aktif B. bassiana dengan kepadatan1010 konidia per g bahan pembawa dengan bahan pembawa yang berbeda (tepung jagung, sekam, dan talk) yang dibuat di Laboratorium Biokontrol, Balai Penelitian Tanaman Hias (Balithi). Bioinsektisida tersebut terbukti efektif mengendalikan trips pada tanaman krisan. Penelitian bertujuan mengetahui efektivitas bioinsektisida Biorama 1, 2, dan 3 dalam mengendalikan kutudaun krisan. Penelitian dilaksanakan di Rumah Plastik Balithi Segunung sejak bulan Juli hingga November 2008. Bahan yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini ialah Dendranthema grandiflora kultivar Sakuntala. Perlakuan yang diuji yaitu Biorama 1 (1010 konidia/g tepung jagung), Biorama 2 (1010 konidia/g arang sekam), dan Biorama 3 (1010 konidia/g talk) masing-masing dengan konsentrasi aplikasi 5 g/l, suspensi B. bassiana dengan kepadatan 1010 konidia/ml, Natural BVR adalah bioinsektisida komersial berbahan aktif B. bassiana (1010 konidia/g bahan pembawa) dengan konsentrasi aplikasi 5 g/l sebagai kontrol positif dan air sebagai kontrol negatif. Penelitian disusun menggunakan rancangan acak kelompok terdiri atas enam perlakuan dan lima ulangan. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa bioinsektisida Biorama 1, 2, dan 3 efektif mengendalikan kutudaun M. sanborni dan efektivitasnya tidak berbeda nyata dibandingkan dengan Natural BVR dan suspensi Beauveria. Perlakuan tersebut mampu menekan serangan M. sanborni, masing-masing dengan 68,58, 60,59, dan 54,37 % secara berurutan. Bioinsektisida memberikan pengaruh nyata terhadap mortalitas kutudaun. Biorama 1 dan 2 menunjukkan keefektifan yang paling tinggi (22,30 dan 24,20%) dalam menekan kerusakan bunga dibandingkan dengan perlakuan lain dan kontrol. Implikasi dari penelitian ini ialah Biorama memiliki potensi yang besar diaplikasikan sebagai pestisida hayati ramah lingkungan pada budidaya krisan.Macrosiphoniela sanborni is one of the important pests causing serious losses on Chrysanthemum. Beauveria bassiana is a biological control agents, which has great potential to control several important pests on ornamental plants. Biorama 1, 2, and 3 are bioinsecticides containing B. bassiana as an active ingredient and made in Biological Control Laboratory of Indonesian Ornamental Crops Research Institute (IOCRI). The bioinsecticides were successfully tested and gave significant effect on controlling Chrysanthemum thrips. The study was aimed to determine the effectiveness of Biorama 1, 2, and 3 on controlling Chrysanthemum aphids. The experiment was conducted at the Plastichouse of IOCRI from July to November 2008. Plant material used in this study was Dendranthema grandiflora cv. Sakuntala. The treatments tested were Biorama 1 (1010 conidia/g corn powder), Biorama 2 (1010 conidia/g activated-carchoal), and Biorama 3 (1010 conidia/g talk) respectively with a concentration of 5 g/l, B. bassiana suspension with a density of 1010 conidia/ml, Natural BVR is a bioinsecticide with active ingredient B. bassiana, which has been commercialized as positive control in concentration 5 g/l and water as negative control. The experiment was arranged by a randomized complete block design consisted of six treatments and five replications. The results showed that Biorama 1, 2, and 3 were effective to control M. sanborni and the results did not give significant difference compared to Natural BVR and Beauveria suspension. They reduced Chrysanthemum aphids up to 68.58, 60.59, and 54,37% respectively. Bioinsecticide provide real impact on the mortality of aphids. The Biorama 1 and 2 indicated the highest effectiveness (22.3 and 24.2% respectively) on lowering to flower damage compared to other treatments and control. This results indicated that Biorama have high potential applied as an environmental friendly biopesticide on Chrysanthemum cultivation

Technique of pneumatic pest control – analyses and a new device

Pest control in organic production of berries, potatoes and vegetables usually employs spreading technique of registered phytopharmaceutical agents. This technique may be supported or even replaced by pneumatic pest control. Pneumatic pest control means suction of pest using a vacuum device similar to a home vacuum cleaner. Up to now there is no evaluation of pneumatic pest control available from an agricultural engineering point of view. This paper concerns the following questions: Which techniques of pneumatic pest control are available and how may these techniques be improved in terms of technical and physical parameters? Based on the answers a new device design is presented

Sublethal effects of kaolin and the biopesticides Prestop-Mix and BotaniGard on metabolic rate, water loss and longevity in bumble bees (Bombus terrestris)

Kaolin is an inert material with a broad range of applications, e.g. as an insecticide and as a filling substance in the formulation of biopesticides. Hence, bees that dispense biopesticides to the field in the context of entomovectoring are exposed to elevated risks because of sideeffects of those products. Here, we investigated with use of bumble bee workers of Bombus terrestris L. the lethal and sublethal effects of (i) pure kaolin, (ii) the biofungicide Prestop-Mix containing the parasitic fungus Gliocladium catenulatum and kaolin and (iii) the bioinsecticide BotaniGard containing the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana and compared with wheat flour powder that we considered safe for bumble bees. As the most important result, treatment with kaolin increased the cuticular water loss and reduced the survival of treated bumble bees, while Prestop-Mix had no negative effect on longevity. BotaniGard caused mortality in the bumble bees because of the entomopathogenic spores it contained. In conclusion, our data indicated that substances used as ‘inert materials’ and in biocontrol agents which are used in IPM and organic farming systems may bring higher risks to bumble bees used in entomovector technology