Potential of Bacillus thuringiensis and entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae in control of Elm Leaf Beetle in Tehran urban landscapes

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran.

2 Professor, Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization, Tehran, Iran.

10.22092/bcpp.2025.370324.394

Abstract

The elm tree (Ulmus spp.) is one of the dominant species in urban landscapes in most parts of Iran. Elm leaf beetle (Xanthogaleruca luteola), Chrysomelidae, is one of the key pests of elm in most areas. The entomopathogenic bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis, have been successful in the control of many foliar pests, and entomopathogenic nematodes have unique characteristics, making them effective biocontrol agents for many landscape and ornamental pests. In the current study, the effect of different concentrations of the native isolate of Steinernema carpocapsae (Sc) and the bacteria B. thuringiensis subsp. galleriae (Btg) either individually or in combination on ELB larval mortalities was tested under field conditions.
Regarding the higher sensitivity of larvae compared with adults, the efficacy test was conducted on larval stages in the field. According to the results of laboratory tests, the field efficacy test included Btg at 5%, Sc at 500 IJs/ml of distilled water, and their combination against ELB larvae at the concentrations above. Five distinct twigs (repeats) infested with ELB larvae were selected for each treatment and three uninterrupted puffs were sprayed on each twig using a hand sprayer. The number of healthy and dead larvae on tagged twigs were counted right before the test and one week afterwards. Pathogenicity of the native isolate of Sc and Btg on larvae and adults of ELB was confirmed; ELB larvae were more susceptible to the nematode and the bacterium in most treatments compared with the adults. The interaction between the tested bacterium and nematode was additive at all concentrations. In field trials in Tehran city during the summer of 2024, application of the tested bacteria resulted in 63.16% mortality of ELB larvae, while the native nematode isolate caused 25% of mortality. The highest effectiveness was observed in the case of the combined application of two agents, resulting in 77.78% larval mortality. The results showed that the integrated use of these biocontrol agents could be employed as an effective, sustainable, and safe strategy in ELB IPM in urban landscapes.

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BioControl in Plant Protection
Volume 12, Issue 1
August 2024
Pages 67-77

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