Production, Application, and Field Performance of Abietiv^(TM),the Balsam Fir Sawfly Nucleopolyhedrovirus

Beginning in the early 1990s, the balsam fir sawfly (Neodiprion abietis) became a significant defoliating insect of precommercially thinned balsam fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) stands in western Newfoundland, Canada. In 1997, a nucleopolyhedrovirus (NeabNPV) was isolated from the balsam fir sawfly and, as no control measures were then available, NeabNPV was developed for the biological control of balsam fir sawfly. In order to register NeabNPV for operational use under the Canadian Pest Control Products Act, research was carried out in a number of areas including NeabNPV field efficacy, non-target organism toxicology, balsam fir sawfly ecology and impact on balsam fir trees, and NeabNPV genome sequencing and analysis. As part of the field efficacy trials, approximately 22 500 hectares of balsam fir sawfly-infested forest were aerially treated with NeabNPV between 2000 and 2005. NeabNPV was found to be safe, efficacious, and economical for the suppression of balsam fir sawfly outbreak populations. Conditional registration for the NeabNPV-based product, Abietiv?, was received from the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (Health Canada) in April 2006. In July 2006, Abietiv was applied by spray airplanes to 15 000 ha of balsam fir sawfly-infested forest in western Newfoundland in an operational control program.

Response of native and exotic longhorn beetles to common pheromone components provides partial support for the pheromone-free space hypothesis

Longhorn beetles are among the most important groups of invasive forest in-sects worldwide.In parallel,they represent one of the most well-studied insect groups interms of chemical ecology.Longhorn beetle aggregation-sex pheromones are commonlyused as trap lures for specific and generic surveillance programs at points of entry andmay play a key role in determining the success or failure of exotic species establishment.An exotic species might be more likely to establish in a novel habitat if it relies on apheromone channel that is different to that of native species active at the same time of yearand day,allowing for unhindered mate location(i.e.,pheromone-free space hypothesis).Inthis study,we first tested the attractiveness of single pheromone components(i.e.,racemic3-hydroxyhexan-2-one,racemic 3-hydroxyoctan-2-one,and syn-2,3-hexanediol),and theirbinary and tertiary combinations,to native and exotic longhorn beetle species in Canadaand ltaly.Second,we exploited trap catches to determine their seasonal flight activity.Third,we used pheromone-baited"timer traps"to determine longhorn beetle daily flightactivity.The response to single pheromones and their combinations was mostly speciesspecific but the combination of more than one pheromone component allowed catch ofmultiple species simultancously in ltaly.The response of the exotic species to pheromonecomponents,coupled with results on seasonal and daily flight activity,provided partialsupport for the pheromone-free space hypothesis.This study aids in the understanding oflonghorn beetle chemical ecology and confirms that pheromones can play a key role inlonghorn beetle invasions.