title: Comparing fungal band formulations for Asian longhorned beetle biological control.
abstract: Experiments were conducted with the fungal entomopathogen Metarhizium brunneum to determine the feasibility of using agar-based fungal bands versus two new types of oil-formulated fungal bands for Asian longhorned beetle management. We investigated conidial retention and survival on three types of bands attached to trees in New York and Pennsylvania: standard polyester fiber agar-based bands containing fungal cultures, and two types of bands made by soaking either polyester fiber or jute burlap with oil-conidia suspensions. Fungal band formulation did not affect the number or viability of conidia on bands over the 2-month test period, although percentage conidial viability decreased significantly with time for all band types. In a laboratory experiment testing the effect of the three band formulations on conidial acquisition and beetle survival, traditional agar-based fungal bands delivered the most conidia to adult beetles and killed higher percentages of beetles significantly faster (median survival time of 27d) than the two oil-formulated materials (36-37d). We also tested the effect of band formulation on conidial acquisition by adult beetles kept individually in cages with a single band for 24h, and significantly more conidia (3-7times) were acquired by beetles from agar-based bands compared to the two oil formulations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853-2601, USA. tau2@cornell.edu
authors.forename: Todd A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Ugine
authors.forename: Nina E
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Jenkins
authors.forename: Sana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gardescu
authors.forename: Ann E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Hajek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001517:Coleoptera / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D052981:Metarhizium; D010572:Pest Control, Biological / Q000379:methods*; D012737:Sex Factors