Field Trials of Wild Entomopathogenic Fungi and Commercial <i>Steinernema carpocapsae</i> on the Large Pine Weevil (<i>Hylobius abietis</i> [L.]) Including an Assessment of Non-Target Effects
The large pine weevil (<i>Hylobius abietis</i> L.) is a major pest in European and Asian coniferous forests, particularly in managed plantations where clear-felling practices create ideal conditions for its population growth. Traditional management practices involving synthetic insectici...
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2024-12-01
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| author | Luis M. Quinzo-Ortega William T. Swaney Roger Moore Robbie Rae Christopher D. Williams |
| author_facet | Luis M. Quinzo-Ortega William T. Swaney Roger Moore Robbie Rae Christopher D. Williams |
| author_sort | Luis M. Quinzo-Ortega |
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| description | The large pine weevil (<i>Hylobius abietis</i> L.) is a major pest in European and Asian coniferous forests, particularly in managed plantations where clear-felling practices create ideal conditions for its population growth. Traditional management practices involving synthetic insecticides have limited efficacy in terms of reducing pest populations and pose environmental risks. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a wild entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) and the commercial entomopathogenic nematode <i>Steinernema carpocapsae</i> (EPN) as biological control agents (BCAs) against <i>H. abietis</i> in clear-felled spruce plantations in Wales and Scotland. Field trials used a randomised block design with three treatments (EPN full dose, EPF full dose and a combination of EPF+EPN at half doses each) compared to a control. Emergence trapping and destructive sampling were employed to assess treatment efficacy. All treatments significantly reduced weevil emergence, with the mixed treatment showing the greatest impact. Destructive sampling revealed strong associations between treatment type and infection outcomes in <i>H. abietis</i>, with a small but significant relationship between weevil developmental stages and infection types. Importantly, the treatments had no significant impact on the total abundance or taxon richness of non-target invertebrates. These findings suggest that wild EPFs alone and combined with EPNs are effective and environmentally safe alternatives to synthetic insecticides for managing <i>H. abietis</i> populations in managed forests. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-12-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-949c088507ba4e1387abe05dda6d050a2025-08-20T02:00:34ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502024-12-01151296710.3390/insects15120967Field Trials of Wild Entomopathogenic Fungi and Commercial <i>Steinernema carpocapsae</i> on the Large Pine Weevil (<i>Hylobius abietis</i> [L.]) Including an Assessment of Non-Target EffectsLuis M. Quinzo-Ortega0William T. Swaney1Roger Moore2Robbie Rae3Christopher D. Williams4School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UKSchool of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UKEntomology, Tree Health, Forest Research, Northern Research Station, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9SY, UKSchool of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UKSchool of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UKThe large pine weevil (<i>Hylobius abietis</i> L.) is a major pest in European and Asian coniferous forests, particularly in managed plantations where clear-felling practices create ideal conditions for its population growth. Traditional management practices involving synthetic insecticides have limited efficacy in terms of reducing pest populations and pose environmental risks. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a wild entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) and the commercial entomopathogenic nematode <i>Steinernema carpocapsae</i> (EPN) as biological control agents (BCAs) against <i>H. abietis</i> in clear-felled spruce plantations in Wales and Scotland. Field trials used a randomised block design with three treatments (EPN full dose, EPF full dose and a combination of EPF+EPN at half doses each) compared to a control. Emergence trapping and destructive sampling were employed to assess treatment efficacy. All treatments significantly reduced weevil emergence, with the mixed treatment showing the greatest impact. Destructive sampling revealed strong associations between treatment type and infection outcomes in <i>H. abietis</i>, with a small but significant relationship between weevil developmental stages and infection types. Importantly, the treatments had no significant impact on the total abundance or taxon richness of non-target invertebrates. These findings suggest that wild EPFs alone and combined with EPNs are effective and environmentally safe alternatives to synthetic insecticides for managing <i>H. abietis</i> populations in managed forests.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/12/967large pine weevilentomopathogenic nematodesentomopathogenic fungi |
| spellingShingle | Luis M. Quinzo-Ortega William T. Swaney Roger Moore Robbie Rae Christopher D. Williams Field Trials of Wild Entomopathogenic Fungi and Commercial <i>Steinernema carpocapsae</i> on the Large Pine Weevil (<i>Hylobius abietis</i> [L.]) Including an Assessment of Non-Target Effects Insects large pine weevil entomopathogenic nematodes entomopathogenic fungi |
| title | Field Trials of Wild Entomopathogenic Fungi and Commercial <i>Steinernema carpocapsae</i> on the Large Pine Weevil (<i>Hylobius abietis</i> [L.]) Including an Assessment of Non-Target Effects |
| title_full | Field Trials of Wild Entomopathogenic Fungi and Commercial <i>Steinernema carpocapsae</i> on the Large Pine Weevil (<i>Hylobius abietis</i> [L.]) Including an Assessment of Non-Target Effects |
| title_fullStr | Field Trials of Wild Entomopathogenic Fungi and Commercial <i>Steinernema carpocapsae</i> on the Large Pine Weevil (<i>Hylobius abietis</i> [L.]) Including an Assessment of Non-Target Effects |
| title_full_unstemmed | Field Trials of Wild Entomopathogenic Fungi and Commercial <i>Steinernema carpocapsae</i> on the Large Pine Weevil (<i>Hylobius abietis</i> [L.]) Including an Assessment of Non-Target Effects |
| title_short | Field Trials of Wild Entomopathogenic Fungi and Commercial <i>Steinernema carpocapsae</i> on the Large Pine Weevil (<i>Hylobius abietis</i> [L.]) Including an Assessment of Non-Target Effects |
| title_sort | field trials of wild entomopathogenic fungi and commercial i steinernema carpocapsae i on the large pine weevil i hylobius abietis i l including an assessment of non target effects |
| topic | large pine weevil entomopathogenic nematodes entomopathogenic fungi |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/15/12/967 |
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