CONSERVATION OF SPRUCE BUDWORM PARASITOIDS FOLLOWING APPLICATION OF BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS VAR. KURSTAKI BERLINER

1992 ◽  
Vol 124 (6) ◽  
pp. 1085-1092 ◽  
Author(s):  
V.G. Nealis ◽  
K. van Frankenhuyzen ◽  
B.L. Cadogan

AbstractField trials in northern Ontario in 1990 and 1991 confirmed that survival of spruce budworm larvae [Choristoneurafumiferana (Clemens)] (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) parasitized by Apanteles fumiferanae Viereck (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) was greater than survival of nonparasitized budworm larvae following application of Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki Berliner (Bt). Apparent parasitism by A. fumiferanae increased slightly when application of Bt was early (instar III or IV) but increased significantly when applications were later in the season (instars IV–VI). Delaying the timing of the spray conserved parasitoids while providing significant reductions in budworm densities and not compromising the primary objective of Bt application, i.e. the protection of current year foliage. The potential for long-term management of spruce budworm through the strategic integration of natural and imposed mortalities is discussed.

1977 ◽  
Vol 109 (9) ◽  
pp. 1239-1248 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. N. Morris

AbstractBacillus thuringiensis (Dipel® 36B) mixed with a sublethal concentration of acephate (Orthene®) (O, S-dimethyl acetylphosphoramidothioate), an organophosphorous insecticide, was applied at 2.35–14 l./ha to white spruce (Picea glauca) and balsam fir (Abies balsamea) trees infested with spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.). The treatment rate was 20 Billion International Units of B. thuringiensis (B.t.) activity with or without 42 g of active ingredient of acephate/ha.The ground deposit of the standard Dipel wettable powder formulation was 12% of emitted volume compared with 21–32% for the Dipel 36B flowable. The viability of B.t. spores was drastically reduced after 1 day of weathering but a high level of biological activity by the spore–crystal complex persisted for up to 20 days post-spray due probably to crystal activity.The addition of about 10% of the recommended operational rate of acephate to the B.t. suspension increased larval mortality by 34% when applied at 4.7 l./ha. Reductions in budworm populations were 97–99% in B.t. + acephate plots and 86–90% in B.t. alone plots.Plots with moderate budworm densities of up to 27 larvae/100 buds on white spruce and 36/100 on balsam fir were satisfactorily protected from excessive defoliation in the year of spray by B.t. with or without acephate. Plots with higher population densities were not satisfactorily protected based on the branch sample examination but aerial color photographs indicated good protection to the top third of the trees. Population declines were greater and defoliation and oviposition were lower in the treated plots than in the untreated checks 1 year later without further treatment. Two years later the larval population densities in all plots were low but the density was twice as high in the untreated check as in the treated plots, indicating long term suppression by the treatments. Defoliation was negligible in all plots.The treatments had no deleterious effect on spruce budworm parasitism. The data indicate that the integrated approach using Bacillus thuringiensis – chemical pesticide combinations is a viable alternative to the use of chemical pesticides alone in spruce budworm control. Large scale testing is now warranted.


1983 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 294-297 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Blais

Forest managers have expressed the need for guidelines that would predict, up to 5 years, the annual spruce budworm damage on a stand basis. Reasons why reliable prediction is generally not possible are discussed. It is suggested that long-term management programs, that would take into consideration periodic losses resulting from recurring budworm outbreaks and that would be based on regional differences in the vulnerability of fir-spruce stands, should be implemented. Key words: Spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana; forest management; tree mortality; defoliation; stand vulnerability, balsam fir, Abies balsamea.


1985 ◽  
Vol 61 (5) ◽  
pp. 385-387
Author(s):  
Thomas A. Rumpf

In the 1970s an outbreak of spruce budworm, combined with rising protection costs, environmental concerns, and recoghition of the long-term nature of the infestation, demanded new approaches to forest management and protection. Through adapting traditional policy, frequent conflict and innovation, the Maine Department of Conservation and private landownes refined their understanding of the budworm infestation as a long-term management problem. The recently completed Maine Spruce-Fir Wood Suply/Demand Analysis highlighted the need for investment in more intensive forest management and better wood utilization, in addition to continued protection, if Maine's industries dependent on spruce and fir are to maintain their current levels of production.


1993 ◽  
Vol 125 (3) ◽  
pp. 479-488 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beresford L. Cadogan ◽  
Roger D. Scharbach

AbstractThe insecticide Foray 48B (Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki Berliner) was applied undiluted at 30 BIU per ha to control spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), in a mixed boreal forest stand of balsam fir, Abies balsamea (L.) Mill., and black spruce, Picea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P. When the treatment was timed to coincide with the early flushing of balsam fir shoots, the corrected budworm population reductions were 74 and 52% on balsam fir and black spruce, respectively. This treatment resulted in 19 and 8% defoliation on the two respective species. When the insecticide application was timed later to coincide with the late flushing of black spruce shoots the corrected population reductions were 93% on balsam fir and 72% on black spruce. Defoliation of the two species was 29 and 10% respectively, following this treatment. Larval survival on both species after the spray timed for black spruce (0.8 and 2.2 larvae per 45-cm branch on balsam fir and black spruce, respectively) was significantly less (P = 0.05) than that observed after the spray timed for balsam fir (4.6 and 4.2 larvae per 45-cm branch on the respective host species).The data indicate that the spray timed to correspond with the flushing of black spruce was generally more efficacious than the spray timed to impact on newly flushed balsam fir; nevertheless, the results raise the question as to how B. thuringiensis insecticides impact on early-instar budworm larvae when there is no preferred current year foliage on which the insects can feed.


1976 ◽  
Vol 108 (3) ◽  
pp. 225-233 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. N. Morris

AbstractSpruce budworm infested balsam fir trees were aerially sprayed with Bacillus thuringiensis – chitinase combinations at the rate of 4 Billion International Units of B.t. and 18 mg of enzyme in 0.5 gal/acre. Larvae were peak third instar at spray time. Deposit rates ranged from 1.07 to 3.26 BIU/acre. Efficacy of the treatments was assessed in the year of treatment and carry-over effects were assessed 1 year later.Results in the year of treatment indicated that: (1) Residual activity of B. thuringiensis was drastically reduced after 15 days’ exposure to weathering. (2) Larval mortality alone is not a suitable criterion of efficacy. (3) Dipel and Dipel + chitinase (but not Thuricide 16B or Thuricide + chitinase) were highly effective in reducing budworm densities. (4) Thuricide + chitinase treatment resulted in significant foliage protection. The treatments inhibited feeding in the following order of efficiency: Thuricide + chitinase > Dipel + chitinase > Dipel alone > chitinase alone > Thuricide alone. (5) There was no direct relationship between larval mortality and foliage protection in any of the treatments, likely due to delayed mortality effects. (6) No direct relationship exists between viable spore deposits and deposit of active ingredient (IUs). (7) B.t. treatments retarded development of the spruce budworm and reduced pupal weights, oviposition rates, and egg viability.Assessment of the plots 1 year after spray showed that the treatments apparently gave no long term protection from defoliation, but this was likely due in part to mass invasion of the test plots by moths from immediately surrounding untreated areas.


1983 ◽  
Vol 115 (4) ◽  
pp. 431-434
Author(s):  
O. N. Morris ◽  
A. Moore

AbstractLarval biomass of the spruce bud worm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), in balsam fir, Abies balsamea L., stands was significantly reduced following aerial applications of commercial Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) (Thuricide 16B®, 24B and 32BX and Dipel 85®). Treatment with Dipel vehicle (Dipel 88® without B.t.) did not affect larval biomass. Biomass reduction following the Thuricide treatment was directly related to feeding activity. These findings support published observations on the long-term effect of B.t. on budworm populations.


1984 ◽  
Vol 116 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. N. Morris

Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (B.t.) is the most widely used biological control agent against the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), a major defoliator of coniferous forests. The technology of applying the bacterium, however, is still not fully developed and the strategy of applying single or split applications of B.t. in unmixed stands is still in question. Double applications are generally accepted as necessary in mixed stands of white spruce, Picea glauca (Moench) Voss, red spruce, P. rubens Sarg., black spruce, P. mariana (Mill.) BSP, and balsam fir, Abies balsamea (L.) Mill., due to difference in the phenological development of the host trees and of the budworm infesting them. Field trials were conducted at Mine Centre, Ontario, to compare the efficacies of double and single applications of B.t. against the budwonn infesting balsam fir stands.


1975 ◽  
Vol 107 (12) ◽  
pp. 1281-1288 ◽  
Author(s):  
O.N. Morris ◽  
J. A. Armstrong

AbstractBacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) + sublethal doses of the organophosphates fenitrothion or Orthene® were aerially applied to spruce budworm infested white spruce and balsam fir trees. B.t. + fenitrothion applied at 10 BIU + 17.5 g active ingredient in 4.71./ha (4 BIU + 0.25 oz in 0.5 gal/acre) and depositing at 1.5 to 3.0 BIU + 2.1 to 4.9 g/ha (0.03 to 0.07 oz/acre) did not protect the trees in the year of application owing to too low application rates but apparently gave good protection 1 year later without further treatment. A B.t. + Orthene combination applied at 20 BIU + 42 g/ha (8 BIU + 0.6 oz/acre) and depositing at the rate of 6.9 BIU + 12.6 g/ha (2.29 BIU + 0.18 oz/acre) provided good protection for both tree species in the year of spray.Moth emergence was substantially reduced by 20 to 30 BIU B.t. + Orthene combination treatment. Thuricide fenitrothion, Dipel fenitrothion, and 30 BIU Orthene treatments reduced oviposition rate by at least 62%, 47%, and 47%, respectively. B,t. + a low dose of Orthene apparently had no major destructive effects on larval, pupal, or egg parasites whereas B.t. + a low dose of fenitrothion seriously reduced egg parasitism.The data indicate the possibility of using B.t. in combination with low doses of chemical insecticides against the spruce budworm as an alternative to high doses of chemical insecticides alone.


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