Biological control of Aromia bungii: a review of potential agents
Aromia bungii (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae, EPPO A2 List) is native to Asia and a pest within the EPPO region with isolated outbreaks. In China, native parasitoids provide control of the species in orchards. Species such as Dastarcus helophoroides (Coleoptera: Bothrideridae) and Sclerodermus guani (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) have varying levels of efficacy against the pest in China, however, they are not suitable for use as classical biological control agents in the invasive range due to their broad host range. Entomopathogenic fungi and nematodes may be more suitable options for biological control in the invaded range. The fungus Beauveria bassiana (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) was shown under laboratory conditions to cause 100 % infection rate and 70 % mortality when the insect was exposed to spores for 25 days. The nematode Steinernema carpocapsae (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae: Augmentative BCA (PM 6/3)) provided effective control of A. bungii larvae in peach and apricot trees in China at doses of 30 000 to 50 000 nematodes per mL. Other nematodes such as S. longicaudum (65 % mortality achieved at 30 days), S. feltiae (Augmentative BCA (PM 6/3)) and S. bibionis (both caused more than 70 % mortality within 20 days) have been applied with good results.
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Horrocks KJ, Zhang J, Haye T, Seehausen ML, Maggini R, Xian X, Chen J, Nugnes F, Collatz J, Gruber A, Gariepy TD (2023) Biology, impact, management and potential distribution of Aromia bungii, a major threat to fruit crops around the world. Journal of Pest Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10340-024-01767-0