Interactions between Entomopathogenic Fungi and Entomophagous Insects

Direct treatment of predators with entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) at different concentrations revealed that some species, like Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae, were found to have detrimental effects on all developmental stages of some predator species. Other species, like Numoraea rileyi and Paecilomycis fumosorosius, showed little or no effect on treated predators. Adult predators were found to avoid feeding on fungi-infected prey. EPF could be isolated from hibernating or field-collected coccinellids. Some studies indicated that combining a fungus with a predator could increase the rate of insect control in the field. As for parasitoids, this review indicates that the developmental stages of the egg parasitoids can develop successfully in host eggs treated with fungi. However, fungus-infected hosts negatively impact the development of larval parasitoids inside such hosts and this impact depends on the species and concentration of the fungus as well as the time between infection and parasitism. Some parasitoid females can discriminate between fungus-infected and uninfected hosts and do not parasitize the infected hosts. With appropriate timing, the parasitoids or predators could be combined with fungi for the biological control of insects in the field.

Interactions between Entomopathogenic Nematodes and Entomophagous Insects

The objective of this review article is to clarify the different interactions between entomopathogenic nematodes, as bio-control agents, against other bio-control agents (parasitoids and predators) proposed by the researchers. Thus, it gives clear information concerning the potential of combining them as a part of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programs against insect pests. Some laboratory studies showed that the treatment of predacious insects by entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) at different concentrations can infect and kill the treated larva, nymphs and adults of predators. The percentages of mortality were found to be high (up to 100%), moderate (15% - 35%) or low (3% - 7%). Other studies revealed the resistant of treated predators to nematode-infection. Some predators that were offered infected prey avoid feeding on such prey and, in contrast, the soil predators (ants and mites) consumed the offered cadavers as well as the infective juvenile of the nematodes and did not show any detrimental effects. Mostly, parasitoids cannot complete their development inside or on nematode-infected hosts if parasitism occurs before or early after infection. The parasitoid females may avoid laying eggs in the infected hosts or cannot discriminate between healthy and infected hosts. A field study demonstrated that applying EPNs combined with the predator, Labidura riparia significantly reduced the population of the target pest compared to the nematode or the predator alone. Also, two field experiments indicated that the combination of parasitoids and nematodes can be successful for insect pest management.

Susceptibility of Economic Dipteran Fruit Flies to Entomopathogenic Nematodes

The present review article demonstrates laboratory and field evaluations of entomopathogenic nematodes(EPNs)against different developmental stages of fruit flies.The virulence of the EPNs differed clearly even on the same insect species and/or by the same nematode species.Such differences might be attributed to some reasons such as the method of treatment as well as the concentrations of the tested nematodes.Fruit flies are among the most important insect pests infesting vegetables and fruits causing considerable losses in the yields worldwide.In laboratory studies,the tested nematodes proved to be highly virulent to larvae as percentage of mortality may reach 100%.As for treated pupae,at different ages,the results are variable and controversially;some studies revealed their moderate or high susceptibility to nematode infection and others indicated low susceptibility or resistance to infection.Treated adults,or those emerged from treated larvae or pupae,are also susceptible to infection.In semi-field and field trials,EPNs proved to be successful for reducing the populations of some fruit flies with up to 85%at concentrations not less than 100 infective juveniles(IJs)/cm^2 of soil.However,the field applications of commercial EPNs have been recommended to be 2.5-5 x 10^9 IJs/ha(25-50 IJs/cm^2 of soil).