Wednesday, 20 November 2002 - 2:48 PM
1092

This presentation is part of : Ten-Minute Papers, Subsection Ce. Insect Pathology and Microbial Control

Commercialization of the nematode, Steinernema scapterisci, for biological control of Scapteriscus spp. mole crickets

Norman C. Leppla1, Martin B. Adjei2, Eileen A. Buss1, J. Howard Frank1, and Thomas G. Hinks3. (1) University of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology, P.O. Box 110620, Gainesville, FL, (2) University of Florida, Department of Agronomy, 3401 Experiment Station, Ona, FL, (3) Becker Underwood, Canada, 6 Victoria Street, Morriston, Ontario, Canada

Commercial production and marketing of Steinernema scapterisci as the "mole cricket nematode" product, NematacTM S, by Becker Underwood began in 2002. During the previous year, more than 50 billion nematodes were applied to pastures, golf courses, sod farms and urban landscapes in 20 Florida counties. Research at these sites evaluated application rates and patterns in different situations, baseline application parameters for modifying equipment, nematode establishment and impact, mole cricket trap capture relative to damage, monitoring techniques to determine mole cricket infection levels, and the rate of dispersal of infected mole crickets. The nematode reproduced in the mole crickets and spread as the insects dispersed, inducing a mean infection level of about 30%.

Species 1: Rhabditida Steinernematidae Steinernema scapterisci (mole cricket nematode)
Species 2: Orthoptera Gryllotalpidae Scapteriscus spp (mole cricket)
Keywords: Nematac, natural enemies

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