EXPOSING LARVAE OF THE SPRUCE BUDWORM (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE) TO SUBLETHAL DOSES OF BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS SUBSP. KURSTAKI DOES NOT AFFECT SURVIVAL DURING THE PUPAL STAGE

2000 ◽  
Vol 132 (3) ◽  
pp. 341-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kees van Frankenhuyzen ◽  
John Dedes

A process-oriented model was recently developed to simulate the efficacy of spray products containing Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner subsp. kurstaki (Bacillaceae) against the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana Clemens (Cooke and Régnière 1996). The model accurately predicted foliage protection and larval population reduction during validation spray trials (Régnière and Cooke 1998; Cooke and Régnière 1999). The impact of treatment on budworm generation survival was generally well mimicked by the model except for a consistent overestimation of survival at the end of immature development in the treated plots. Régnière and Cooke (1998) speculated that residual mortality due to treatment may be occurring during the pupal stage. Carry-over of B. thuringiensis from larvae to pupae has been documented for spruce budworm (Klein and Lewis 1966) and several other Lepidoptera (Legner and Oatman 1962; Angus 1965). Although we recently investigated the response of spruce budworm larvae to ingestion of sublethal doses of B. thuringiensis (Pedersen et al. 1997), effects on pupal survival or adult emergence were not examined. In this note, we report the results of an experiment designed to assess such effects.

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacques Régnière ◽  
Barry Cooke ◽  
Ariane Béchard ◽  
Alain Dupont ◽  
Pierre Therrien

Management of spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), outbreak spread requires understanding the demographic processes occurring in low, but rising populations. For the first time, detailed observations were made in the early stages of outbreak development. We sampled populations over a three-year period in both treated and untreated populations in the Lower St-Lawrence region of Quebec, Canada, and measured the density-dependence of survival and population growth rates, and the impact of natural enemies and insecticides. Insecticides tested were Bacillus thuringiensis (Berliner 1915) and tebufenozide. We recorded strong density-dependence of survival between early larval stages and adult emergence, explained largely by the variation of natural enemy impacts and overcrowding. We also observed inverse density-dependence of apparent fecundity: net immigration into lower-density populations and net emigration from the higher, linked to a threshold of ~25% defoliation. Because of high migration rates, none of the 2013 treatments reduced egg populations at the end of summer. However lower migration activity in 2014 allowed population growth to be reduced in treated plots. This evidence lends support to the conclusion that, for a budworm population to increase to outbreak density, it must be elevated via external perturbations, such as immigration, above a threshold density of ~4 larvae per branch tip (L4). Once a population has increased beyond this threshold, it can continue growing and itself become a source of further spread by moth migration. These findings imply that populations can be brought down by insecticide applications to a density where mortality from natural enemies can keep the reduced population in check, barring subsequent immigration. While we recognize that other factors may occasionally cause a population to exceed the Allee threshold and reach outbreak level, the preponderance of immigration implies that if all potential sources of significant numbers of moths are reduced on a regional scale by insecticide applications, a widespread outbreak can be prevented, stopped or slowed down by reducing the supply of migrating moths.


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 (11) ◽  
pp. 1543-1544 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. G. Stewart ◽  
B. J. R. Philogène

In a previous investigation on the effects of sublethal doses of fenitrothion (O,O-dimethyl-O-(3-methyl-4-nitrophenyl)phosphorothioateo)n the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta (L.), it was found that the treated larvae developed asynchronously, required more time to reach the pupal stage, and had larger bodyweights than the control larvae (Stewart and Philogène 1983). Regressive moults, faster pupal development, and shorter longevity of the adults were also observed. The impact of sublethal doses of insecticides on subsequent generations of insects has, however, received limited attention. We now present experimental evidence that the progeny of treated insects can also show some of the characteristics described above, an observation that may have significant consequences in the field.


1995 ◽  
Vol 127 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicholas J. Payne ◽  
Kees van Frankenhuyzen

AbstractBecause microbial insecticides based on Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki cause temporary cessation of larval feeding at sublethal doses, we hypothesized that the delivery of a given dose in a single droplet is more efficacious than delivery of the same dose in multiple smaller droplets. We tested this hypothesis by exposing larvae of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), to an LD50 of a commercial product (Dipel 8L) in combinations of droplet sizes and densities that are commonly observed on coniferous foliage after aerial application. A nominal dose of 5.2 International Units (IU) was presented to fifth-instar larvae on one, two, or four balsam fir, Abies balsamea L., needles in the form of one, two, or four droplets with diameters of 84, 66, or 52 μm, respectively. The combinations of droplet size and density were chosen to represent an increasing degree of dose dispersion. Overall mortality after a 24-h exposure was significantly reduced with increasing dose dispersion from an average of 66% when the dose was presented in one 84-μm droplet on one needle to 40% when presented in multiple droplets on several needles. Increased dose dispersion reduced the proportion of larvae that were able to ingest the full dose, presumably because of feeding inhibition caused by ingestion of sublethal droplets. In addition, mortality of fully dosed larvae declined significantly with increasing dispersion, implying a reduction in the effectiveness of the ingested dose. When compared with operational spray deposits, our results suggest that efficacy of spruce budworm sprays may be improved by increasing the proportion of needles receiving a lethal spray deposit by increasing product potency and possibly the active ingredient application rate.


1975 ◽  
Vol 107 (9) ◽  
pp. 967-977 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. J. Sanders

AbstractLaboratory and field experiments indicate that the female spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.)) pupal stadium requires approximately 122C degree-days above a threshold of 7.2 °C (45°F), the male 124. Emergence time on any given day depends on temperature but is independent of photoperiod. Under field conditions male and female budworm mate only once per 24-h period. In the laboratory under continuous illumination females mate repeatedly and males readily mate a second time within a few hours, but the duration of the second copulation is abnormally long. The probability of multiple matings under field conditions is reduced by the restricted period of sexual activity coupled with the duration of copulation and the lower competitiveness of mated insects. Antennae are essential to the male for successful copulation.


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.


1994 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
pp. 1061-1065 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kees van Frankenhuyzen

AbstractThe relationship between temperature and pathogenesis of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner var. kurstaki in infected larvae of the eastern spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana Clem., was investigated to determine if more rapid death of larvae with an increase in temperature could be accounted for by enhanced bacterial growth. Cumulative mortality of larvae force-fed with a lethal dose of HD-1-S-1980 peaked within 2 days at 25 °C, 3 days at 19 °C, 7 days at 16 °C, and 21 days at 13 °C. The progress of bacterial growth in the larvae was followed from spore germination to cell lysis, and was completed within 4 days at 25 °C, 6 days at 22 °C, 12 days at 19 °C, 14 days at 16 °C, and > 28 days at 13 °C. Peak abundance of vegetative cells in the larvae was observed after 1 day at 25 °C, 2 days at 22 °C, 3 days at 19 °C, 7 days at 16 °C, and 21 days at 13 °C, and thus coincided almost exactly with the time required for maximum larval mortality. This correlation suggests that the observed effect of temperature on progression of larval mortality was due to its effect on the proliferation of vegetative cells in the infected larvae, and that bacterial septicemia makes an important contribution to death.


1983 ◽  
Vol 115 (7) ◽  
pp. 815-822 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. N. Morris ◽  
A. Moore

AbstractFifty Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) isolates representing K-1, galleriae, K-73, thuringiensis, aizawai, dendrolimus, tolworthi, kenyae, darmstadiensis, alesti, and entomocidus crystal antigen types were bioassayed against fifth-instar spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana (Clem.), larvae. In addition, larvae reared on diet with and without aureomycin were tested for their susceptibility to B.t. The data indicated no significant differences in susceptibility to B.t. among insects reared on aureomycin or on aureomycin-free diet, but differences were evident in larval growth and mortality among untreated controls. None of the 50 isolates bioassayed was any more toxic to the budworm than is the strain used at present in commercial preparations of B. thuringiensis.


1992 ◽  
Vol 124 (6) ◽  
pp. 1101-1113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Fleming ◽  
Kees van Frankenhuyzen

AbstractSingle aerial applications of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) to control infestations of the eastern spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana Clemens) have had varied operational success. Double applications are too expensive for general use, but might prove useful if directed to areas where the initial application was unsuccessful. This requires forecasts of the efficacy of the initial application in operational spray blocks within 4–5 days.Data were collected in 30 spray blocks in 1989 in a feasibility study to determine if such forecasts of spray efficacy could be made from the prespray budworm population density, N0, and from the proportion of the population that had ingested a lethal dose Bt within 2 days of application, M. A mathematical model forecasting the postspray budworm population density, NF, was derived from population-dynamic considerations and fitted (r2 = 0.48, p < 0.0001):The proportion of current foliage defoliated, D, depended (r = 0.81) on N0 and on whether the block was sprayed (I = 0) or not (I = 1):Only one measure of defoliation involved M in any statistically significant way. The predicted (from values of N0) proportion of defoliation prevented by Bt application, dD, was weakly (r2 = 0.25, p = 0.002) related to M:The large proportion of the variation in efficacy that remains unexplained by the models involving M limits the operational utility of this approach as it now stands for specific sites. The potential for further development of these models as decision support tools for fairly large spray blocks is discussed in terms of improving the sampling plan and including additional predictor variables.Methods are also presented that reduce bias in calculations of population reduction (Abbott 1925) and foliage protection when data are available from few control and many treatment blocks.


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