Biological Control of the Annual Bluegrass Weevil
in New Jersey
B. A. McGraw and A. Koppenhöfer
Listronotus maculicollis• Single most destructive
insect pest on golf course turfgrass in the NE, U.S.
• Primarily feeds on annual bluegrass, a prevalent grass weed on golf courses
• Managed preventatively with pyrethroids
ABW Development
Vittum et al. 1999
Cameron and Johnson, 1971
Annual BluegrassPoa annua
• Highly invasive grass weed found cool-temperate regions
• Performs well under close mowing
• Performs poorly in heat/drought stress
ABW Damage
New Jersey Survey for Infected ABW
Infection of ABW by endemic EPNs
Late-stage infection by endemic nematodesin ABW larva.
Early-stage infections in ABW larva and late stage infection in pupa.
Entomopathogenic nematode life cycleEntomopathogenic nematode life cycle
Survey for natural pathogens of ABW in NJ
County# GC
sampled
# of areas
sampled w/ ABW
w/ EPN- infected ABW
w/ EPN in soil
Bergen 4 19 9 1 0
Morris 2 5 2 0 0
Essex 2 15 0 0 2
Middlesex 1 6 2 0 1
Monmouth 2 58 37 3 27
Total 11 103 50 4 30% Total - - 49 8* 29
EPN in Soil: 34% H. bacteriophora, 66% S. carpocapsaeABW infections: 98% H. bacteriophora, 2% S. carpocapsae
Seasonal Dynamics
Seasonal dynamics of ABW and infectionsby endemic EPN in GC fairways
Pine Brook GC, Manalapan, NJ
Jun 9Jun 16
Jun 23Jul 1 Jul 7
Jul 15Jul 21
Jul 28Aug 4
Aug 11Aug 18
No.
of A
BW
sta
ges
per f
t2
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
EPN-infected A
BW
per 10 ft 2
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
AdultPupaLarva, 5thLarva, 1-4thEPN-infected
1%
1% 8%
12%
69%
Future Research
• Conduct laboratory assays against various lifestages of ABW, EPNs and environmental variables
• Conduct field trials with promising EPNs
• Monitor the impact of ABW on P. annua and overseeding on the turfgrass species
Acknowledgements:
• Technical support: E. Fuzy, M. Resnick and Z. Eagan
• Funding: GCSAA, USGA and Rutgers Center for Turfgrass Science
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