Combining root inoculation with Akanthomyces muscarius (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) and the parasitoid Aphidius ervi (Haliday) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) to control aphids on sweet pepper

• Published in: BioControl (Dordrecht, Netherlands) Netherlands), 2023-12, Vol.68 (6), p.579-589
• Main Authors: Wilberts, Liesbet, Van Hee, Sara, Stockmans, Isabelle, Meesters, Caroline, van Neerbos, Francine, Gloder, Gabriele, Geerinck, Margot W. J., Wäckers, Felix, Jacquemyn, Hans, Lievens, Bart
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural practices; Agriculture; Akanthomyces muscarius; Animal Biochemistry; Animal Ecology; Aphidius ervi; Arthropods; Behavioral Sciences; Biological control; Biological effects; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cages; Capsicum annuum; Drinking water; Effectiveness; Endophytes; Entomology; Entomopathogenic fungi; Experiments; Fungi; Herbivores; Inoculation; Insects; Integrated pest management; Life Sciences; Myzus persicae nicotianae; Natural enemies; Parasitism; Parasitoids; Peppers; Pest control; Pesticides; Pests; Physiology; Plant Pathology; Tobacco
• ISSN: 1386-6141; 1573-8248
• DOI: 10.1007/s10526-023-10219-0

Biological control using natural enemies such as predatory insects and parasitoids has become an important alternative way of pest management and represents a crucial component in Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Although parasitoids are commonly used as biocontrol agents, their efficacy is not always sufficient to reduce pest populations to acceptable densities. Given that parasitoids can be attracted towards plants inoculated with entomopathogenic fungi, a combination of endophytic entomopathogenic fungi and parasitoids may lead to enhanced biocontrol efficacy, but information in this regard is scarce. Here, we used sweet pepper ( Capsicum annuum L.), the entomopathogenic fungus Akanthomyces muscarius ARSEF 5128, the tobacco peach aphid Myzus persicae var. nicotianae and the aphid parasitoid Aphidius ervi to assess whether root inoculation with an entomopathogenic fungus has the potential to increase the biocontrol efficacy of an arthropod biological control agent. Results obtained over a five-weeks period revealed that a combination of the fungus and the parasitoid significantly improved biocontrol efficacy compared to the separate applications of the biocontrol agents, specifically by enhancing short-term parasitoid effectiveness. In greenhouse cages with A. muscarius and A. ervi, the aphid population was not able to produce progeny, and aphids were parasitized fast and efficiently. In cages with control plants and A. ervi, parasitism efficiency was significantly lower and the aphid population was able to increase by several generations. In these cages, the parasitoids could effectively control the aphid infestation after repeated parasitoid releases. We conclude that fungal inoculation improved parasitoid biocontrol efficacy, providing new opportunities for pest control.