A Promising Predator-In-First Strategy to Control Western Corn Rootworm Population in Maize Fields
Western Corn Rootworm is a pest of maize that mostly damages roots. Many alternative strategies have been explored to control this species, with little or non-lasting success, and it remains a threat to maize production worldwide. <i>Gaeolaelaps aculeifer</i>, a soil-dwelling predatory m...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Agronomy |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/10/1984 |
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| author | Antoine Pasquier Lucie S. Monticelli Adeline Moreau Benjamin Kaltenbach Candice Chabot Thibault Andrieux Maxime Ferrero Elodie Vercken |
| author_facet | Antoine Pasquier Lucie S. Monticelli Adeline Moreau Benjamin Kaltenbach Candice Chabot Thibault Andrieux Maxime Ferrero Elodie Vercken |
| author_sort | Antoine Pasquier |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Western Corn Rootworm is a pest of maize that mostly damages roots. Many alternative strategies have been explored to control this species, with little or non-lasting success, and it remains a threat to maize production worldwide. <i>Gaeolaelaps aculeifer</i>, a soil-dwelling predatory mite that inhabits the first few centimeters of the soil, showed high predatory potential against WCR larvae in the laboratory. In this study, we explored the efficiency of <i>G. aculeifer</i> against WCR in more realistic contexts. First, we infested maize plants isolated in pots in a greenhouse with WCR, and tested the impact of different densities of mites on plant protection. Using standard indicators of WCR population presence and impact, we confirmed that <i>G. aculeifer</i> has the potential to control WCR at densities starting from 100 mites/plant. Then, considering that the release of a large amount of biocontrol agents at WCR emergence might be too costly and constraining for large-scale implementation, we tested the efficiency of a predator-in-first strategy in a maize field infested by WCR. The goal was to introduce fewer <i>G. aculeifer</i> combined with <i>Aleuroglyphus ovatus</i> eggs as an alternative food source in order to let the mite population grow in the field and reach sufficient density at the critical stage for protection. This strategy gave comparable results to pesticide on all indicators examined in our field trial, highlighting the potential to sustainably manage this pest. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:47:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e779b5f79bb641508f36f4f034e9cded |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4395 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T06:47:45Z |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agronomy |
| spelling | doaj.art-e779b5f79bb641508f36f4f034e9cded2023-11-22T17:06:24ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952021-09-011110198410.3390/agronomy11101984A Promising Predator-In-First Strategy to Control Western Corn Rootworm Population in Maize FieldsAntoine Pasquier0Lucie S. Monticelli1Adeline Moreau2Benjamin Kaltenbach3Candice Chabot4Thibault Andrieux5Maxime Ferrero6Elodie Vercken7Bioline Agrosciences, R&D, 1306 Route de Biot, 06560 Valbonne, FranceUniversité Côte d’Azur, INRAE, CNRS, UMR ISA, 06000 Nice, FranceBioline Agrosciences, R&D, 1306 Route de Biot, 06560 Valbonne, FranceBioline Agrosciences, R&D, 1306 Route de Biot, 06560 Valbonne, FranceBioline Agrosciences, R&D, 1306 Route de Biot, 06560 Valbonne, FranceBioline Agrosciences, R&D, 1306 Route de Biot, 06560 Valbonne, FranceBioline Agrosciences, R&D, 1306 Route de Biot, 06560 Valbonne, FranceUniversité Côte d’Azur, INRAE, CNRS, UMR ISA, 06000 Nice, FranceWestern Corn Rootworm is a pest of maize that mostly damages roots. Many alternative strategies have been explored to control this species, with little or non-lasting success, and it remains a threat to maize production worldwide. <i>Gaeolaelaps aculeifer</i>, a soil-dwelling predatory mite that inhabits the first few centimeters of the soil, showed high predatory potential against WCR larvae in the laboratory. In this study, we explored the efficiency of <i>G. aculeifer</i> against WCR in more realistic contexts. First, we infested maize plants isolated in pots in a greenhouse with WCR, and tested the impact of different densities of mites on plant protection. Using standard indicators of WCR population presence and impact, we confirmed that <i>G. aculeifer</i> has the potential to control WCR at densities starting from 100 mites/plant. Then, considering that the release of a large amount of biocontrol agents at WCR emergence might be too costly and constraining for large-scale implementation, we tested the efficiency of a predator-in-first strategy in a maize field infested by WCR. The goal was to introduce fewer <i>G. aculeifer</i> combined with <i>Aleuroglyphus ovatus</i> eggs as an alternative food source in order to let the mite population grow in the field and reach sufficient density at the critical stage for protection. This strategy gave comparable results to pesticide on all indicators examined in our field trial, highlighting the potential to sustainably manage this pest.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/10/1984predatory mites<i>Diabrotica virgifera virgifera</i>biological control<i>Gaeolaelaps aculeifer</i>underground pestspredator-in-first |
| spellingShingle | Antoine Pasquier Lucie S. Monticelli Adeline Moreau Benjamin Kaltenbach Candice Chabot Thibault Andrieux Maxime Ferrero Elodie Vercken A Promising Predator-In-First Strategy to Control Western Corn Rootworm Population in Maize Fields Agronomy predatory mites <i>Diabrotica virgifera virgifera</i> biological control <i>Gaeolaelaps aculeifer</i> underground pests predator-in-first |
| title | A Promising Predator-In-First Strategy to Control Western Corn Rootworm Population in Maize Fields |
| title_full | A Promising Predator-In-First Strategy to Control Western Corn Rootworm Population in Maize Fields |
| title_fullStr | A Promising Predator-In-First Strategy to Control Western Corn Rootworm Population in Maize Fields |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Promising Predator-In-First Strategy to Control Western Corn Rootworm Population in Maize Fields |
| title_short | A Promising Predator-In-First Strategy to Control Western Corn Rootworm Population in Maize Fields |
| title_sort | promising predator in first strategy to control western corn rootworm population in maize fields |
| topic | predatory mites <i>Diabrotica virgifera virgifera</i> biological control <i>Gaeolaelaps aculeifer</i> underground pests predator-in-first |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/11/10/1984 |
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