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Exploiting Thrips Aggregation Pheromones to Develop a Lure-and-Kill Strategy for the Management of the Bean Flower Thrips

Pope, TW; Niassy, S; Subramanian, S; Drijfhout, F; Akinyemi, AO; Tamiru, A; Kirk, W; Mfuti, DK; O’Brien, M; O'BRIEN, M; Campbell, H

Exploiting Thrips Aggregation Pheromones to Develop a Lure-and-Kill Strategy for the Management of the Bean Flower Thrips Thumbnail


Authors

TW Pope

S Niassy

S Subramanian

AO Akinyemi

A Tamiru

W Kirk

DK Mfuti

M O’Brien

H Campbell



Abstract

The potential of semiochemicals to lure insect pests to a trap where they can be killed with biopesticides has been demonstrated as an eco-friendly pest management alternative. In this study, we tested two recently characterized male-produced aggregation pheromones of the bean flower thrips Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom), namely (R)-lavandulyl 3-methylbutanoate (major) and (R)-lavandulol (minor), for their field efficacy. Moreover, compatibility of these pheromones and two other thrips attractants, Lurem-TR and neryl (S)-2-methylbutanoate, with the entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) Metarhizium anisopliae ICIPE 69 has been determined. Our study revealed that the M. sjostedti aggregation pheromones have dose-dependent antifungal effects on the EPF viability, but showed no fungistatic effect at a field-realistic dose for attraction of thrips. (R)-lavandulyl 3-methylbutanoate had similar antifungal effects as neryl (S)-2-methylbutanoate 8 days after exposure; whereas, Lurem-TR had a stronger antifungal effect than other thrips attractants. In the semi-field experiments, all autoinoculation devices maintained at least 86% viability of M. anisopliae conidia after 12 days of exposure. Field trials demonstrated for the first time that (R)-lavandulyl 3-methylbutanoate increases trap catches. Our findings pave a way for designing a lure-and-kill thrips management strategy to control bean flower thrips using autoinoculation devices or spot spray application.

Acceptance Date Jun 16, 2021
Publication Date Jun 22, 2021
Publicly Available Date Mar 28, 2024
Journal Agronomy
Print ISSN 2073-4395
Publisher MDPI
DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11071269
Keywords Thripidae; Metarhizium anisopliae; Megalurothrips sjostedti; compatibility; lavandulyl 3-methylbutanoate; lavandulol; methyl isonicotinate
Publisher URL https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11071269

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