ABSTRACT Large crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop.) and smooth crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum (Schreb.) Schreb. ex Muhl.) arrived into North America from Eurasia with immigrants as promising grain and forage crops, but they have become troublesome invasive weeds in cropland and turfgrass. Twenty-three foliar pathogens were isolated from crabgrass near Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada and evaluated

ABSTRACT Biological control is an effective and sustainable method for management of invasive alien plants (IAPs), and has been implemented on 68 of the 367 plant species that are listed as legally requiring management strategies under South Africa’s National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act (10/2004): Alien and Invasive Species Regulations. With limited resources and funding available, it

ABSTRACT Biological control is widely utilised for the management of invasive alien plants (IAP). With the ever-increasing number of IAPs, it is important to prioritise targets for biocontrol in order to maximise the use of resources and the chances of success. This paper reviewed 12 previous systems developed to prioritise plant targets for biocontrol. The review underpins the selection of attributes

ABSTRACT Invasive alien plants (IAPs) are considered one of the greatest threats to biodiversity in South Africa and are often associated with negative socio-economic and human health consequences. Biocontrol is seen as an effective strategy for managing IAPs however it can realistically only be considered for a subset of such plants given the limited funding resources available. Some plants are also

ABSTRACT Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is a fungus responsible for the plant disease called anthracnose, which causes harvest losses. Although pesticides are widely used to control this disease, they tend to lose effectiveness as the phytopathogen develops pesticide resistance. Bacteria with antifungal activity are an alternative in the development of biocontrol agents. Among other biocontrol mechanisms

ABSTRACT Ten Steinernema abbasi isolates were obtained during a soil survey in Western Uttar Pradesh, India. The nematode isolates were characterised using morpho-taxometrical and molecular approaches, and their biopesticide properties against two lepidopteran pests (i.e. Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura) were assessed. In addition, their Xenorhabdus bacterial symbionts were isolated, and

ABSTRACT The direct and indirect modulating effects of two citrus soil bacteria, Bacillus thuringiensis and Bacillus subtilis, on the activity of two nematophagous fungi, Arthrobotrys conoides and Dactylellina gephyropaga, have been studied. Growth rates of A. conoides and D. gephyropaga, effect of D. gephyropaga on mycelial growth and conidial germination of A. conoides, antifungal activity of B.

ABSTRACT The mustard aphid, Lipaphis erysimi, is a significant agricultural pest, responsible for yield losses in several vegetable crops. A desire to reduce insecticide applications in green house vegetable production systems has led to increasing use of entomopathogenic fungi to manage pests, including aphids. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy of the entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana

ABSTRACT The squash bug, Anasa tristis (De Geer) is a serious pest of cucurbit crops. The egg parasitoid, Gryon pennsylvanicum (Ashmead), is the primary parasitoid of the squash bug and has been considered as a biological control agent. In the present study, we conducted both laboratory and greenhouse bioassays to determine the effects of kairomones emitted by A. tristis on the host searching behaviour

ABSTRACT The current study assessed the efficacy of entomopathogenic fungal (EPF) biopesticides against adult and larval stages of houseflies, Musca domestica L. under laboratory conditions. Six commercial EPF biopesticides were selected for virulence tests; three strains of Beauveria bassiana (HF23 in the product balEnce™, GHA in the product Botanigard ES and ATCC 74040 in the product Naturalis-L)

ABSTRACT Take-all, caused by the fungal pathogen Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici (Ggt) is an important root disease of cereals and grasses. An increasing occurrence of very light seeds in some New Zealand perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) seed crops may have been associated with Ggt, but any Ggt effects on grass seed yield were unknown. A glasshouse experiment, using prairie grass (Bromus

ABSTRACT The antagonistic activity of four Philippine EPN isolates of Steinernema abbasi Elawad et al. (SaMBLB) and Heterorhabditis indica Poinar et al., (HiPBCB, HiBSDS, and HiMAP) was investigated against Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood. Fourteen days after inoculation, it was demonstrated that concomitant application of 1,000 live infective juveniles (IJ) of each EPN species and

ABSTRACT Agriculture development remains the most significant and integral part of the economic growth of any country with pests, such as plant pathogens, weeds, insects, nematodes and animal, imposing a major threat to the overall productivity. Approximately 25% of the total crop production worldwide is damaged due to these weeds, animal and microbial pest attacks and thus application of agrochemicals

ABSTRACT Invasive alien plants (IAPs) pose a threat to biodiversity and the economy of the countries they invade. In South Africa, the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Natural Resources Management Programmes, previously The Working for Water Programme (WfW) is tasked with controlling IAPs in a way that protects the environment, as well as producing maximum return to society through

ABSTRACT Parthenium hysterophorus L. is an aggressive weed found in over 40 countries including Ethiopia. One of its natural enemies is the winter rust fungus Puccinia abrupta var. partheniicola. There was an outbreak of the winter rust fungus on parthenium in Ethiopia in 2020. A survey at six locations in central Ethiopia indicated a mean per cent score of winter rust fungus infection ranging from

ABSTRACT We evaluated the predatory bug, Tupiocoris cucurbitaceus as biocontrol agent of the two spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, by analysing its predatory capacity, development to adult stage when fed on this pest, and the effect of predation on T. urticae population. T. cucurbitaceus was capable of killing spider mites although failed to fully develop when fed on them. A negative effect

ABSTRACT Early blight is a common challenge to tomato production all over the world. Microbial antagonists, unlike synthetic chemicals, are friendly to the environment and human health. In this study, five microbial antagonists were evaluated for their effectiveness in managing the early blight of tomatoes under greenhouse and field conditions. Microbial antagonists included two Trichoderma isolates

ABSTRACT Biological control in the open field often involves simultaneous infestations of different pest species. In brassica crops, aphids and diamondback moth are major pest species worldwide. The aphidophagous Coccinellinae Eriopis connexa (Germar) is a common predator in crop ecosystems including brassicas. We hypothesised that the performance of E. connexa would be improved if it were fed a mixed

ABSTRACT Biological control methods may provide efficient and environmentally sustainable methods for curbing invasive weeds. Miconia calvescens DC (Melastomataceae) is an invasive weed of forest ecosystems on oceanic islands and one of the most invasive alien species. Therefore, the present study aimed to identify and assess the population dynamics of herbivorous insects that feed on M. calvescens

ABSTRACT The tobacco caterpillar, Spodoptera litura is a key insect pest affecting the crop stand and yield of a wide range of crops, mainly castor. Entomopathogens are known to play a vital role in eco-friendly management of insect pests. The present study was undertaken with the objective of developing a freely flowable WDG formulation of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) containing a high percentage of

ABSTRACT Effects of Beauveria bassiana on non-target arthropods were assessed following field application on rangeland and alfalfa agroecosystems in Canada. Densities and prevalence of B. bassiana within non-target arthropods were measured by two methods, surface sanitation of non-target cadavers followed by homogenisation and plating on selective medium, or incubation in a high humidity environment

ABSTRACT Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. is a valuable biological control agent for insects. B. bassiana efficacy can be influenced by plant interactions, including secondary metabolites, but the range of interactions with maize are not well understood. B. bassiana-treated sweet corn leaf tissue that had been fed on by fall armyworms, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), caused a significantly

ABSTRACT Fusarium wilt is a widespread disease causing serious production losses in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.). Accordingly, control agents to manage this disease should be developed to ensure the sustainability of watermelon cultivation. In this study, inactivated Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum (FON) mycelia were used as a decoy inoculation agent, and the effects of this treatment on Fusarium

ABSTRACT The yellow peach moth, Conogethes punctiferalis (Guenée) has become a major insect pest in Huang-Huai-Hai summer corn region of China in recent years. Larvae directly threatens the yield and quality of corn by boring into corn ear and feeding. Currently, there are few studies to use the parasitoids, Trichogramma, to control the pest C. punctiferalis, so this study firstly evaluated the parasitism

ABSTRACT Maize is an important cereal crop worldwide. In Mexico, both hybrid and native genotypes are grown. Insect herbivory, mainly by the larvae of Spodoptera frugierda L, impose significant yield losses. Developing pest control strategies using natural enemies in an agroecological approach offers an environmentally sound alternative to minimise the input of pesticides in maize agroecosystems. Campoletis

ABSTRACT Restrictions on the use of synthetic molluscicides highlight the importance of developing alternative control methods. Nevertheless, biocontrol agents can be costlier and less effective than synthetic counterparts. One means of increasing the efficacy of population suppression is to combine inundative biological control with habitat management to reduce population growth of target pests. Vineyards

ABSTRACT Dioscorea bulbifera has invaded, smothered, and disrupted ecological functions of native plant communities in Florida. Vines senesce in late fall, then overwinter as tubers and aerial bulbils which sprout in spring and repeat the growth cycle. A foliage-feeding beetle Lilioceris cheni, introduced from Asia as a biocontrol agent has established throughout D. bulbifera's range in Florida. Synchronies

ABSTRACT Maize is an important crop worldwide having vital nutritional, medicinal, and economic significance. It is vulnerable to a broad spectrum of emerging infections and diseases caused by Fusarium species which are collectively termed fusariosis. The negative consequences of fusariosis can stimulate a considerable economic loss in the food chain. With this context, this study evaluated the biological

ABSTRACT This study investigated the egg maturation rates and the effect of feeding and starvation on the egg load dynamics of Diachasmimorpha kraussii (Fullaway), a parasitoid of the Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt). Three day old unfed parasitoids had significantly more mature eggs than 3-d old fed wasps. No egg resorption was observed in these parasitoids. When exposed to a physiologically

ABSTRACT Predatory ants are crucial biological control agents in agroecosystems, but such activity may vary during dry and wet seasons. In this study, we investigated whether the mortality caused by predatory ants to the larvae of Ascia monuste orseis (Godart) varies due to the effects of dry and wet seasons. We performed a field experiment repeated eight times for two years. In each period, we established

ABSTRACT The utilisation of plant allelopathy is an important tool in a diversified weed management strategy. Allelochemicals are released by some plants, such as sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), to inhibit the growth of neighbouring plants. This species was tested for use as an allelopathic plant for weed control in cropping systems. The allelopathic properties of sunn hemp were tested under field

ABSTRACT The effects of three different pest control regimes in three pear orchards (two with integrated pest management regimes and one with an organic farming regime) on communities of arthropods were studied in a two-year experiment. Insects were collected in three stages by beating the lower branches of trees. The number of species and other taxa of natural enemies increased with the reduction

ABSTRACT The utilisation of plant allelopathy is an important tool in a diversified weed management strategy. Allelochemicals are released by some plants, such as sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.), to inhibit the growth of neighbouring plants. This species was tested for use as an allelopathic plant for weed control in cropping systems. The allelopathic properties of sunn hemp were tested under field

ABSTRACT The effects of three different pest control regimes in three pear orchards (two with integrated pest management regimes and one with an organic farming regime) on communities of arthropods were studied in a two-year experiment. Insects were collected in three stages by beating the lower branches of trees. The number of species and other taxa of natural enemies increased with the reduction

ABSTRACT Trichogramma egg parasitoids are successfully used for biological control of a wide range of lepidopteran pests worldwide. However, the field success depends upon their performance that could be influenced by the conditions of laboratory mass rearing. Hence, reviewing all scientific information on the most suitable mass rearing techniques of Trichogramma parasitoids is of utmost importance

ABSTRACT Laboratory studies that evaluated lethal and sublethal effects of a commercial biopesticide containing Chrysodeixis includens nucleopolyhedrovirus (ChinNPV: Baculoviridae: Alphabaculovirus) infecting different larval ages of soybean looper (SBL), Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) are presented. Larvae were infected with different concentrations of ChinNPV by droplet

ABSTRACT Sublethal effects of a spirotetramat insecticide on life history traits and population growth of two local Serbian populations (Bujanovac and Negotin) and one commercial Dutch population (the Dutch strain) of Encarsia formosa Gahan (Hymen.: Aphelinidae) were evaluated in laboratory bioassays. Median lethal concentrations of spirotetramat estimated in the acute toxicity bioassay with adults

(2021). Editorial. Biocontrol Science and Technology. Ahead of Print.

ABSTRACT The whitefly Aleurodicus cocois is one of the main pests of cashew, Anacardium occidentale L. in Brazil. The use of essential oils and their constituents is an alternative means of controlling pests with low risk to natural enemies. In the present study, the chemical profile and toxicity of a mixture of the essential oils of Lippia sidoides Cham. (Verbenaceae) and Cymbopogon winterianum Jowitt

ABSTRACT The compatibility of Isaria fumosorosea IF-1106 with 12 commercial pesticide adjuvants was evaluated using the predictive parameter SC90 (the adjuvant concentration at which 90% of conidia survived). Based on the SC90 values and the functionalities of the adjuvants used, two conidial wettable powder formulations of IF-1106 were formulated. Our results indicated that SC90 values can be used

ABSTRACT The prevention and control of strawberry grey mould are typically done via the traditional application of fungicides or spraying of fungal spores. However, the exploitation of honeybees for dissemination of biocontrol agents during pollination is more environment-friendly. To evaluate the feasibility of this novel strategy in dispersing fungal spores on strawberry plants, we first investigated

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Y1 on the control of grey mould disease caused by Botrytis cinerea and subsequent growth promotion of strawberry. Strain Y1 strongly inhibited mycelial growth of B. cinerea on different media with the highest inhibition of 61.22% on V8 juice agar medium. The higher the bacterial culture filtrate (BCF) concentration

ABSTRACT The objective of the present study was to evaluate the biological control of nematodes in young ewes receiving the fungi Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001) and Monacrosporium thaumasium (NF34) orally. The subjects were 40 Texel sheep, all female, between 12 and 24 months of age. At the beginning of the experiment, all animals received an oral dose of ivermectin. After 14 days, the animals were

ABSTRACT Gummosis (Phytophthora root and crown rot) is an important and destructive disease that affects fruit trees like pistachio (Pistacia vera L.). Although many studies have been performed on the possibility of biological control of gummosis, up to now few studies have been done on transcriptionally induced resistance genes in pistachio against Phytophthora disease. In the present research, the

ABSTRACT Root and rust rot are common fungal diseases that decrease both the yield and quality of ginseng, resulting in severe economic losses for the ginseng industry. In this study, we explored the bacteriostatic and greenhouse control effects that the actinomycetes strain Frankia F1, extracted from the ginseng-rhizosphere soil, has on the pathogenic fungi that cause ginseng root rot (Fusarium solani)

ABSTRACT Native to Europe, North Africa and western Asia, Iris pseudacorus L. (Iridaceae) has invaded natural and human-modified wetlands worldwide. This species is considered a noxious weed in several countries including Argentina, South Africa and New Zealand. Its broad ecological tolerance, high resilience and reproductive potential make current mechanical and chemical control measures cost-ineffective

ABSTRACT Monoecious and dioecious forms of the submerged aquatic plant hydrilla, Hydrilla verticillata (Hydrocharitaceae) are invasive weeds in the United States. Monoecious hydrilla is expanding northward and the existing biological control agents are not controlling it effectively. Results of fine-scale genetic identification of plants and herbivores matched the invasive US monoecious hydrilla genotype

ABSTRACT Soil samples collected from different fruit orchards of Karnataka were used for isolation of Streptomyces spp. and all the isolates were screened for their plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits including phytohormones production viz. indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and gibberellic acid (GA3), nutrient (phosphate and zinc) solubilisation, siderophore production, enzyme activities (cellulase, tannase

ABSTRACT Assessment was conducted to determine the occurrence and estimate parasitism rates of hymenopteran and dipteran parasitoids on Cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in chickpea growing districts of Ethiopia. Larval parasitoids of tachinid species Drino sp., Goniophthalmus halli, Linnaemya cf. longirostris, Pimelimyia sp., and ichneumonid species, Charops sp

ABSTRACT Biological and behavioural characteristics of Diaeretiella rapae were studied in a laboratory using Lipaphis erysimi as a host. The total developmental period of the parasitoid was longer in early instars as compared to that in later instars. Host age at the time of oviposition affected the oviposition period, post-oviposition period and fecundity of the parasitoid. Survival of the immatures

ABSTRACT Disease-suppressive soil refers to soil in which the incidence or severity of plant diseases is lower than the general environment or the surrounding soil, and this inhibitory effect is attributed to diverse microbes. In this study, bacteria from suppressive soil were cultured, and preliminarily identification was made based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence, and the nematocidal activity was evaluated

ABSTRACT Entomopathogenic fungi are widely distributed and well described within the fungal kingdom. Different species of fungi belonging to the Genus Cordyceps are well known pest control agents. This study reports the isolation, characterisation as well as virulence of six fungal isolates belonging to three different species of Cordyceps genus including three C. farinosa isolates; two C. fumosorosea

ABSTRACT Fusarium culmorum (W.G. Sm.) Sacc. is the main causal agent of wheat crown rot in Algeria, which affects the yield and seed quality due to the presence of mycotoxins. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of the biocontrol agent Trichoderma atroviride (Ta.13) P. Karsten on the antioxidant enzymes activities (peroxidase and catalase), as well as on phenolic and protein content of three

ABSTRACT Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) infect insects and reproduce within the host cadaver. The nematodes use chemotaxis to assist in host-finding. However, the chemotaxis of nematode species in response to insects previously infected by con- and hetero-specific EPN in a sand context has rarely been reported. Our aim was to address the response of Steinernema carpocapsae All (Sc) to Galleria mellonella

ABSTRACT We report in this study the evaluation of Moroccan plant growth promoting (PGP) Streptomyces spp. capacities to control pea root rot caused by Aphanomyces euteiches. Actinobacteria isolates were tested against A. euteiches under greenhouse conditions. Individual treatments of pea plants cultivated in either perlite or soil with three isolates reduced significantly disease symptom index (DSI)

ABSTRACT Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the most destructive invasive pests of tomato worldwide. To improve biological control of T. absoluta, we studied the functional response of Neochrysocharis formosa (Westwood) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) to T. absoluta. Under laboratory conditions, N. formosa parasitised and host-fed on the first three larval instars, while the fourth

ABSTRACT Avena fatua L. is the most persistent weed faced by Chinese farmers, and it accounts for serious losses in several cereal crops. To study the effects of secondary metabolites of microorganisms on A. fatua, experiments were conducted on their herbicidal activity both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, a total of nine strains were isolated from saline–alkaline soil. Among these, the inhibitory

ABSTRACT Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands. is a widely distributed pathogen in avocado crops. Root rot caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi decreases the yield and growers are to establish new productive areas in order to meet demand which in turn is causing the loss of native forests. Therefore, sustainable production of avocado is only possible by addressing yield issues and the efficient use of lands. In

ABSTRACT The oral application of chlamydospores of the nematophagous fungus Duddingtonia flagrans allows reducing the number of infective larvae (L3) in faeces and decreases the infectivity of the pastures of gastrointestinal nematodes. There are differences in the literature about the quantity of chlamydospores required for the reduction of L3 and there is little data about the importance of the concentration

ABSTRACT Delia radium is a root-feeding pest of cole crops. In California, the biocontrol agents associated with D. radicum are not well understood. Soil samples and sentinel pupae were used to assess D. radicum densities and associated beneficial insects present in cauliflower fields. Delia radicum parasitoids collected from soil samples included Aleochara bilineata (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) and