Manabu Shibao

Control of Myzus persicae and Lipaphis erysimi (Hemiptera: Aphididae) by adults and larvae of a flightless strain of Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) on non-heading Brassica cultivars in the greenhouse

The green peach aphid [Myzus persicae (Sulzer)] and turnip aphid [Lipaphis erysimi (Kaltenbach)] are economically important pests with a worldwide distribution. We have evaluated the efficacy of releasing adults and larvae of a flightless strain of the multicolored Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis Pallas) as a control measure against these aphids on plants of non-heading Brassica cultivars. Both adults and larvae of H. axyridis were observed to be effective biocontrol agents, markedly decreasing the numbers of aphids. The residence duration of adults was longer than that of larvae. The proportion of non-marketable plants damaged by aphids was lower in plots into which either adults or adults and larvae of H. axyridis had been released. These results suggest that both adults and larvae of this flightless strain of H. axyridis are effective in controlling aphids on plants of non-heading Brassica cultivars.

Effects of pesticides on granule formulation of an entomopathogenic microbial pesticide, Metarhizium anisopliae

Metarhizium anisopliae is a widely distributed soil-inhabiting fungus and is used as a microbial pesticide against thrips. We studied the effects of 11 fungicides and 11 insecticides on granule formulation up to the growth of hyphae in the microbial pesticide M. anisopliae. Hyphal growth was not observed in M. anisopliae under the treatment using agar culture medium supplemented with benomyl and triflumizole as chemical fungicides and with MEP as a chemical insecticide. The results of our study indicate that the use of these fungicides and insecticides should be avoided when using the microbial pesticide.