Zottele Maria, Mayrhofer Martina, Embleton Hannah, Enkerli Jürg, Eigner Herbert, Tarasco Eustachio, Strasser Hermann
Department of Microbiology, Leopold-Franzens University Innsbruck, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
AGRANA Research & Innovation Center GmbH, 3430 Tulln an der Donau, Austria.
Pathogens. 2023 Jan 6;12(1):99. doi: 10.3390/pathogens12010099.
The mass occurrence of the sugar beet weevil (Asproparthenis punctiventris, previously Bothynoderes punctiventris) has been endangering sugar beet cultivation in Austria for centuries. Exacerbated by climatic and political changes (warmer, drier spring and limited access to chemical pesticides), new approaches are needed to counter the problem. The aim of our work was to test whether the bioinsecticide Metarhizium brunneum Ma 43 (formerly M. anisopliae var. anisopliae BIPESCO 5/F52) can be used as a sustainable plant protection product against the sugar beet weevil. Our goal was to control the pest in all its development stages through multiple applications. Therefore, GranMetTM-P, a granular formulation of M. brunneum Ma 43, was applied in spring to establish the fungus in the soil, whereas GranMetTM-WP, a liquid formulation of the production strain, was used in early summer on trap ditches and leaves to target the adult weevils. Soil and plant samples as well as weevils were collected during the planting season from the trial sites to evaluate the development of the fungus and the mycosis of the treated weevils. In addition, data on hibernating weevils and their emigration from untreated field sites was collected. In all field sites, the Metarhizium spp. abundance increased above the background level (<1000 CFU g−1 soil dry weight) after application of the product. With an increasing number of treatments per plot, and thus an increased contact possibility between pest and the fungus, a rise in the mycosis rate was observed. In conclusion, the various Metarhizium application strategies, which are already available or in testing, must be implemented to ensure control in both old and new sugar beet fields. Metarhizium is a further asset in the successful control of this sugar beet pest.
几个世纪以来，甜菜象鼻虫（Asproparthenis punctiventris，以前称为Bothynoderes punctiventris）的大量出现一直危及奥地利的甜菜种植。由于气候和政治变化（春季更温暖、更干燥以及化学农药的获取受限）而加剧，因此需要新的方法来应对这一问题。我们工作的目的是测试生物杀虫剂金龟子绿僵菌Ma 43（以前称为金龟子绿僵菌变种金龟子绿僵菌BIPESCO 5/F52）是否可以用作防治甜菜象鼻虫的可持续植物保护产品。我们的目标是通过多次施用在害虫的所有发育阶段对其进行控制。因此，在春季施用了金龟子绿僵菌Ma 43的颗粒制剂GranMetTM-P，以便在土壤中定殖真菌，而在初夏，将生产菌株的液体制剂GranMetTM-WP用于诱捕沟和叶片上，以针对成年象鼻虫。在种植季节从试验地点采集土壤和植物样本以及象鼻虫，以评估真菌的发育情况和经处理象鼻虫的真菌病。此外，还收集了关于冬眠象鼻虫及其从未经处理的田地迁出的数据。在所有田地中，施用该产品后，绿僵菌属的丰度增加到高于背景水平（<1000 CFU g−1土壤干重）。随着每个地块处理次数的增加，从而害虫与真菌之间的接触可能性增加，观察到真菌病发病率上升。总之，必须实施各种现有的或正在测试的绿僵菌施用策略，以确保在新旧甜菜田都能进行防治。绿僵菌是成功防治这种甜菜害虫的又一有利因素。
