greater in rain-fed than irrigated crops and during dry periods than periods of regular
rainfall so rainfall affect the termite’s geographical distribution very well.
A number of physical, chemical and biological control measures are used to
prevent termite attack. During a preliminary study, Rahimzadeh et al. (2006) confirmed the potency of four isolates of M. anisopliae to cause mortality on
Microcerotermes gabrielis (Isoptera: Termitidae) under laboratory conditions.
Later, Rahimzadeh et al. (2012) evaluated the pathogenicity of M. anisopliae
(DEMI 001) isolated from Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
against two subterranean termites, Amitermes vilis (Isoptera: Termitidae) and
M. gabrielis under laboratory conditions. The LC50 values for A. vilis and
M. gabrielis were 8.5 Â 10
3 and 0.2 Â 10
2 spores ml
À1 , respectively. According
to the results of the bioassay, M. anisopliae was more effective for controlling
M. gabrielis than that for A. vilis. Due to increasing concern of termites in urban
habitats, there is increasing interest in environmentally friendly tools against termites
including fungal insecticides. An information deficit concerns the behavior of most
destructive Iranian termite species. The most important factor is the behavior of
termite population when encountering a fungal pathogen. Based on this finding, an
optimal application tactic could be designed, based on direct mortality and repellency of fungal pathogen.
11.6 Fruit Trees, Forests and Riparian Area Pests
Some main wood borer pests from Lepidoptera, (Zeuzera pyrina), Coleoptera
(Osphranteria coerulescens, Capnodis spp., and species of Scolytinae) and Hymenoptera (Synanthedon tabaniformis) cause significant crop losses annually in the
country, with increasing damage in the past two decades, mostly correlated to
climate change issues and water crises. Application of chemical treatment for
management of these pests has some restrictions, including overlapping of life
stages, the issue of sufficient translocation of pesticides in infested trees and other
known concerns which has led to a restriction of available tactics. Among biocontrol
agents, entomopathogenic fungi are an accepted group for use against this group.
Here we can recommend to design plans for incorporating EPFs within management
program of each mentioned species of the wood borers. The main question is the best
method for applying these agents, including injection a spore suspension, or a paste
form by mixing the fungal conidia with waste molasses and sweet potato starch and
smearing into excretion hold of larva (Huang et al. 1990). Alternatively the fungi
could be applied using a fungus-impregnated cloth band around the trees (Hajek and
Bauer 2007). These approaches could be effective in regulating population density
of those pest groups along with pheromone trapping. Several studies have been
conducted on efficiency of EPFs as biocontrol agents for the control of a number of
important fruit tree pests (Table 11.2). In general, these studies have shown promising results, indicating that these fungi could developed for using within management program for some important pest in the country.
460
H. Askary et al.
rainfall so rainfall affect the termite’s geographical distribution very well.
A number of physical, chemical and biological control measures are used to
prevent termite attack. During a preliminary study, Rahimzadeh et al. (2006) confirmed the potency of four isolates of M. anisopliae to cause mortality on
Microcerotermes gabrielis (Isoptera: Termitidae) under laboratory conditions.
Later, Rahimzadeh et al. (2012) evaluated the pathogenicity of M. anisopliae
(DEMI 001) isolated from Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)
against two subterranean termites, Amitermes vilis (Isoptera: Termitidae) and
M. gabrielis under laboratory conditions. The LC50 values for A. vilis and
M. gabrielis were 8.5 Â 10
3 and 0.2 Â 10
2 spores ml
À1 , respectively. According
to the results of the bioassay, M. anisopliae was more effective for controlling
M. gabrielis than that for A. vilis. Due to increasing concern of termites in urban
habitats, there is increasing interest in environmentally friendly tools against termites
including fungal insecticides. An information deficit concerns the behavior of most
destructive Iranian termite species. The most important factor is the behavior of
termite population when encountering a fungal pathogen. Based on this finding, an
optimal application tactic could be designed, based on direct mortality and repellency of fungal pathogen.
11.6 Fruit Trees, Forests and Riparian Area Pests
Some main wood borer pests from Lepidoptera, (Zeuzera pyrina), Coleoptera
(Osphranteria coerulescens, Capnodis spp., and species of Scolytinae) and Hymenoptera (Synanthedon tabaniformis) cause significant crop losses annually in the
country, with increasing damage in the past two decades, mostly correlated to
climate change issues and water crises. Application of chemical treatment for
management of these pests has some restrictions, including overlapping of life
stages, the issue of sufficient translocation of pesticides in infested trees and other
known concerns which has led to a restriction of available tactics. Among biocontrol
agents, entomopathogenic fungi are an accepted group for use against this group.
Here we can recommend to design plans for incorporating EPFs within management
program of each mentioned species of the wood borers. The main question is the best
method for applying these agents, including injection a spore suspension, or a paste
form by mixing the fungal conidia with waste molasses and sweet potato starch and
smearing into excretion hold of larva (Huang et al. 1990). Alternatively the fungi
could be applied using a fungus-impregnated cloth band around the trees (Hajek and
Bauer 2007). These approaches could be effective in regulating population density
of those pest groups along with pheromone trapping. Several studies have been
conducted on efficiency of EPFs as biocontrol agents for the control of a number of
important fruit tree pests (Table 11.2). In general, these studies have shown promising results, indicating that these fungi could developed for using within management program for some important pest in the country.
460
H. Askary et al.