Development of alternative carriers for use of Beauveria Bassiana in Ostrinia nubilalis suppression on corn

The European corn borer (ECB) is a serious pest of corn causing significant yield losses in the Midwest. In continuous work on innovative control of the ECB via an entomopathogenic fungus, this project evaluated alternative carriers for delivery of Beauvaria bassiana without increasing indigenous mycotox-Entomology ins

Role of Insect Diseases in Managing the European Corn Border

Disease is what ever goes wrong with an insect and signifies a departure from the state of health or normality (Steinhaus 1949). Diseases can be categorized as infectious or noninfectious. An infectious disease results from invasion by a living microorganism whereas a noninfectious disease is any ailment in which a microorganism is not involved. Insect pathology is the study of diseases in insects and a component of the broader discipline of biological control i.e., management of pest insects with living organisms. There are four general groups of microorganisms that are routinely studied in insect pathology. They are: bacteria, viruses, fungi and microspora. An example of the fungi and an example of the microspora will be discussed herein because these disease causing agents occur naturally in populations of the European com borer whereas bacteria and viruses will not be discussed because they do not usually occur in wild populations of the European com borer. Disease-causing organisms can be indigenous or exogenous. Indigenous pathogens are present in the insect ecosystem whereas exogenous ones are introduced. The impact of two disease causing organisms (both indigenous), a fungus, Beauveria bassiana and a microspora, Nosema pyrausta on management of the European com borer will be discussed

Utilizing an entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, for season-long suppression of larval populations of the European corn borer

The European corn borer (ECB) is the second most significant insect pest of field corn. Though its impact is variable each year, it can cause from $100 to$250 million in crop losses annually in Iowa alone. Presently, growers use chemical insecticides to suppress populations of this insect. But sometimes this approach does not provide adequate protection from this pest, in part because the ECB\u27s tunneling damage within the corn stalk is usually recognized too late (see Figs. 1 and 2). Moreover, because chemical insecticides are not only expensive but potentially threatening to groundwater quality, corn growers need an environmentally compatible management alternative

Ecological impact of herbicides associated with transgenic soybeans on spider mites

How do RoundUp® Ready soybeans affect the growth of fungi that may keep down the populations of some significant soybean pests? Experiments in the laboratory and soybean fields explored this question

The effect of organic versus chemical fertilizers on insect pathogens

Insects such as the black cutworm are a major pest of seedling corn in Corn Belt states. Both the nematode Steinernema carpocapsae and the fungus Beauveria bassiana are potential biological control agents of this pest Because their survivability depends on moisture and they are affected adversely by nitrogen compounds, this project studied the effects of various fertilizers (fresh cow manure, composted cow manure, and urea) on these insect-killing organisms. Results showed that S. carpocapsae is more active in soils with no fertilizer amendment or with composted manure than with fresh manure or chemical fertilizer; B. bassiana is adversely affected by fresh manure. Investigation of factors that may enhance dispersal (which in turn may be a determining factor in the success of biological control) found that dispersal of two species of insect-killing nematodes was increased in the presence of earthworms