Laboratory tests on the biocontrol of chestnut insect pests on Etna (Sicily, Italy) by means of entomopathogenic nematodes

Authors

  • Mirella Clausi Dipartimento di Biologia Animale “M. La Greca”, Università di Catania, via Androne 81, 95124, Catania
  • Diego Leone Dipartimento di Biologia Animale “M. La Greca”, Università di Catania, via Androne 81, 95124, Catania
  • Maria Teresa Vinciguerra Dipartimento di Biologia Animale “M. La Greca”, Università di Catania, via Androne 81, 95124, Catania
  • Giancarlo Rappazzo Dipartimento di Biologia Animale “M. La Greca”, Università di Catania, via Androne 81, 95124, Catania
  • Eustachio Tarasco Dipartimento di Scienze del Suolo, della Pianta e degli Alimenti (DiSSPA), Università degli Studi di Bari “A. Moro”, via Amendola 165/A, 70125, Bari

Keywords:

Curculio, Pammene, Cydia, Steinernema, Heterorhabditis

Abstract

The virulence of seventeen strains of entomopathogenic nematodes, belonging to four species of Steinernema and two of Heterorhabditis, against the chestnut insect parasites Curculio elephas, C. glandium, Pammene castanicola, Cydia splendana and C. fagiglandana, was tested in laboratory. The bioassays were conducted on the insect larvae collected in three different years (2010-2012) in chestnut groves of Etna. Most of the strains tested resulted good biocontrol agents for all the treated insect pests. The strains S. feltiae ESA and S. feltiae EPP were the most effective strains autochthonous of Etna when all the species of insect pests are considered as a whole.

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Issue

Vol. 97 (2014)

Section

Short Note

License

Dichiarazione di copyright