The banana aphid, Pentalonia nigronervosa, is the only known vector of banana bunchy top virus. Use of entomopathogenic fungi as an alternative to chemical controls for the aphid is being explored. Preliminary results from in vitro bioassays indicate in increase in fecundity when exposed to sub-lethal doses of Beauveria bassiana and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus. This may have important implications for biological control of P. nigronervosa.
Species 1: Homoptera Aphididae Pentalonia nigronervosa (banana aphid, cardamom aphid)
Keywords: biological control, entomopathogenic fungi
Back to Student Competition Display Presentations, Section F. Crop Protection Entomology
Back to Student Competition Posters
Back to The 2003 ESA Annual Meeting and Exhibition