Intentional coverage gaps reduce cost of mating disruption for Phyllocnistis citrella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) in citrus.

The leafminer, Phyllocnistis citrella Stainton (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae), is a global pest of citrus and contributes to the incidence and severity of citrus bacterial canker. SPLAT CLM (ISCA Technologies, Riverside, CA) is an emulsified wax that provides sustained release of (Z,Z,E)-7,11,13-hexadecatrienal, the major component of P. citrella sex pheromone. Trials in commercial orchards demonstrated that SPLAT CLM applied to plots of varying width resulted in disruption of trap catch of male P. citrella within treated rows and across untreated rows adjacent to treated rows. SPLAT CLM applied to plots of constant width (10 rows) disrupted trap catch across an untreated gap as the square of the width of the gap. Similarly, the ability of the pheromone source in treated rows to disrupt trap catch across untreated gaps of constant size declined as the square of the width of adjacent treated areas. A coverage pattern of 4 rows skipped for every 10 treated rows resulted in a 4% reduction of trap shutdown, and reduced the product and application costs by 29%. Mining incidence by P. citrella in treated rows was reduced by 53% compared with untreated areas. Intentional coverage gaps can significantly reduce the cost of mating disruption. Commercial lures for P. citrella used in this study were highly potent with respect to attracting males. Each lure was approximately 10(3) times as attractive as an individual P. citrella female. Disruption of trap catch using commercial lures may underestimate actual mating disruption achieved in the field.

Reduced oviposition by Diaprepes abbreviatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and growth enhancement of citrus by Surround particle film.

Regularly applied sprays of a particle film, Surround WP, greatly enhanced the growth of citrus trees on a poorly drained Winder soil at Fort Pierce, FL. After 3 yr of applications every 3 or 4 wk, Surround-treated trees had at least 5 times the mass, 6 times the canopy volume, and approximately 4 times the cross-sectional area of the tree stems at the graft union compared with untreated trees. The larger Surround-treated trees attracted a higher number of adult weevil Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.) and to a lesser extent citrus root weevil, Pachnaeus litus (Germar), per tree, but there was an equivalent number of egg masses per tree compared with the control trees. The number of egg masses per female weevil oviposited on Surround-treated trees was significantly less than either the control trees or trees treated biannually with an entomopathogenic nematode, BioVector. The number of larvae per tree recovered from the roots of excavated trees was greater from trees treated with Surround once every 3 wk compared with control trees. The data suggest that Surround particle film greatly enhanced the growth of citrus trees grown in a poorly drained soil. The reduction in oviposition by D. abbreviatus was insufficient to significantly reduce the number of root weevil larvae per tree feeding on the roots. However, the more vigorous trees resulting from Surround applications may be more resistant or tolerant to root weevil feeding.

Iridovirus in the root weevil Diaprepes abbreviatus.

Invertebrate iridescent virus 6 (IIV6) was evaluated for mode of transmission and ability to cause infection in the root weevil, Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.). This is the first evidence of IIV6 infection in D. abbreviatus, which caused both patent and sub-lethal covert infections in both larvae and adults. Adults and larvae were successfully infected with IIV6 by puncture, injection and per os. Transmission of IIV6 was demonstrated between infected and healthy individuals regardless of gender. Virus was detected in egg masses produced by virus-infected females suggesting IIV6 is transmitted transovarially. Virus particles were observed in the cytoplasm of weevil cells, and were shown to infect fat bodies, muscle, and nerve tissues, as visualized using transmission electron microscopy. Patent infections resulted in death of individuals within 3 to 4 days post infection. Individuals with covert infections tested positive for virus infection on day 7 by polymerase chain reaction analysis. Sequencing of PCR amplicons confirmed virus infection. Discovery of new pathogens against root weevils may provide new management tools for development of control strategies based on induced epizootics. This is the first report of a virus infecting D. abbreviatus.

Iridovirus infection of cell cultures from the Diaprepes root weevil, Diaprepes abbreviatus.

We here report the development and viral infection of a Diaprepes root weevil cell culture. Embryonic tissues of the root weevil were used to establish cell cultures for use in screening viral pathogens as potential biological control agents. Tissues were seeded into a prepared solution of insect medium and kept at a temperature of 24 degrees C. The cell culture had primarily fibroblast-like morphology with some epithelial monolayers. Root weevil cells were successfully infected in vitro with a known insect virus, Invertebrate Iridescent Virus 6. Potential uses of insect cell cultures and insect viruses are discussed.

Acoustic surveying of subterranean insect populations in citrus groves.

Subterranean insect pests cause considerable economic damage but their concealment makes detection difficult. A portable acoustic system was developed and tested for its potential to rate the likelihood that trees in citrus groves were infested with Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.) larvae. The likelihood was rated independently by a computer program and an experienced listener that distinguished insect sounds from background noises. Diaprepes abbreviatus, Phyllophaga spp., or other pest insects were excavated from all 11 sites rated at high likelihood of infestation but were absent from 20 of 25 low-rated sites. There was a significant regression between the activity rate and the number of pest organisms present at recording sites although the correlation was weaker than between activity rate and likelihood of infestation. Although the system is at an early stage of development, the success of these field tests suggests that it has considerable potential as a tool to detect and monitor hidden infestations of insects in soil.

Particle film deters oviposition by Diaprepes abbreviatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

A hydrophilic formulation of the inert silicate kaolin was tested in a screenhouse for its effect on the behavior of the root weevil Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.), a pest of citrus and ornamental plants in Florida and the Caribbean. Feeding by adults on treated foliage was reduced by 68-84% compared with adults fed untreated foliage. No insecticidal activity was detected after 14 d of exposure to kaolin-treated leaves. Oviposition was completely suppressed on treated foliage. Although females oviposited >19,000 eggs during two trials on untreated foliage, no egg masses were found on foliage treated with the kaolin formulation. These data indicate potential for kaolin as a barrier to oviposition in citrus groves and may prove to be an economically viable and environmentally sound component of an integrated approach for control of D. abbreviatus and related root weevils.

Eavesdropping on insects hidden in soil and interior structures of plants.

Accelerometer, electret microphone, and piezoelectric disk acoustic systems were evaluated for their potential to detect hidden insect infestations in soil and interior structures of plants. Coleopteran grubs (the scarabaeids Phyllophaga spp. and Cyclocephala spp.) and the curculionids Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.) and Otiorhynchus sulcatus (F.) weighing 50-300 mg were detected easily in the laboratory and in the field except under extremely windy or noisy conditions. Cephus cinctus Norton (Hymenoptera: Cephidae) larvae weighing 1-12 mg could be detected in small pots of wheat in the laboratory by taking moderate precautions to eliminate background noise. Insect sounds could be distinguished from background noises by differences in frequency and temporal patterns, but insects of similarly sized species could not be distinguished easily from each other. Insect activity was highly variable among individuals and species, although D. abbreviatus grubs tended to be more active than those of O. sulcatus. Tests were done to compare acoustically predicted infestations with the contents of soil samples taken at recording sites. Under laboratory or ideal field conditions, active insects within approximately 30 cm were identified with nearly 100% reliability. In field tests under adverse conditions, the reliability decreased to approximately 75%. These results indicate that acoustic systems with vibration sensors have considerable potential as activity monitors in the laboratory and as field tools for rapid, nondestructive scouting and mapping of soil insect populations.

Dehydrothalebanin: a source of resistance from Glycosmis pentaphylla against the citrus root weevil Diaprepes abbreviatus.

Roots of a citrus relative, Glycosmis pentaphylla (orangeberry), were shown to inhibit the growth and survival of larvae of the citrus root weevil Diaprepes abbreviatus. Roots of G. pentaphyllaincorporated into the diet of D. abbreviatus increasingly inhibited the growth of neonate larvae with increased concentration of roots, while roots from citrus rootstocks produced little inhibition. The diet-incorporation assay was used to guide fractionation of an active acetone extract of G.pentaphylla roots. Three major fractions from silica open-column liquid chromatography were active, and these were purified using semipreparative normal-phase HPLC. A single active HPLC subfraction was isolated from each of the three liquid chromatography fractions, and two active compounds were isolated and identified by GC-MSD. GC-MSD and NMR identified one compound as the amide dehydrothalebanin B, and the other was identified by GC-MSD as dieldrin, a chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticide whose origin in our samples is uncertain.

Identification of sources of plant resistance to Diaprepes abbreviatus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) by three bioassays.

Host plant resistance to the root weevil Diaprepes abbreviatus (L.) was assessed for 3 citrus rootstock cultivars, 5 promising hybrid rootstocks, and 3 citroid fruit trees using 3 bioassay methods: a pot bioassay with 1-yr seedlings; a new, 21-cm plastic cell bioassay with 5-mo seedlings; and a diet incorporation bioassay. The plastic cell bioassay is a more rapid screening method and is capable of evaluating a larger number of entries in a shorter period compared with current methods. The 3 bioassays yielded similar results. Larval growth was inhibited by 2 of the remote citroid fruit trees, Murraya koenigii (L.) Sprengel and Glycosmis pentaphylla (Retzius) Correa, compared with growth on commercial rootstock cultivars. Specifically, larvae allowed to feed on roots of M. koenigii or G. pentaphylla gained less weight compared with larvae fed on the commercial rootstock cultivar 'Swingle' [Citrus paradisi Macfayden x Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Rafinesque-Schmaltz]. The resistance of G. pentaphylla confirms previous reports. M. koenigii is a new source of resistance to D. abbreviatus.

Recent advances in cassava pest management.

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) occupies a uniquely important position as a food security crop for smallholder farmers in ares of the tropics where climate, soils, or societal stresses constrain production. Given its reliability and productivity, cassava is the most important locally produced food in a third of the world's low-income, food-deficit countries. It is the fourth most important source of carbohydrates for human consumption in the tropics, after rice, sugar, and maize. World production of cassava from 1994-1996 averaged 166 million tons/year grown on 16.6 million hectares (ha), for an average yield of 9.9 tons/ha. Approximately 57% is used for human consumption, 32% for animal feed and industrial purposes, and 11% is waste. Africa accounts for 51.3% of the production; Asia, 29.4%; and Latin America, 19.3%. The area planted to cassava in Africa, Asia, and Latin America is 10.3, 3.7, and 2.6 million ha, respectively.