Skip to main content
Entomology 2024 Main banner
Bayer Crop Science
Icon Legend
 
Oral Presentation
Oral Presentation
Poster Display
Poster Display
Student Competition
Student Competition
Ticketed Event
Ticketed Event
Back

Student 10-Minute Presentation

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

Student

Student Competition

Grad 10-min Competition: P-IE, Insecticide Resistance

Development of an autodissemination device for spreading entomopathogenic fungi, Beauveria bassiana, to fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae)

Monday, November 11, 2024
10:30 AM – 10:42 AM MST
Location: Phoenix Convention Center, 129 B, PCC
Oral Presentation Student Competition

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Sarah K. Pennington

    Graduate Research Assistant
    University of Hawaii
    Honolulu, Hawaii

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Dara G. Stockton, Ph.D.

    Assistant Lab Director
    USDA-APHIS
    Edinburg, Texas

  • JS

    James Snyder

    Laboratory Technician
    Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
    Gainesville, Florida

  • KF

    Katherine Fairbanks

    Assistant Chief, Bureau of Methods Development and Biological Control; FDACS-DPI
    Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
    Gainesville, Florida

  • Katrina Leah Dickens

    Biological Scientist
    Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
    Gainesville, Florida

  • Ikkei Shikano

    Assistant Professor
    University of Hawaii
    Honolulu, Hawaii

The state of Hawaii has had dozens of economically important crops targeted by fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae). Insecticide-laced protein-bait sprays or attract-and-kill devices can suppress fruit fly populations. However, recent bioassays have found elevated levels insecticide resistance, mainly Spinosad, in melon fly and oriental fruit fly populations on multiple Hawaiian islands. There is a need for additional tools to suppress insecticide resistant fruit fly populations. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) can induce high mortality in tephritid flies. Our lab developed a novel formulation of EPF to use in an attract-and-infect devices to lure and autodisseminate spores to flies. This study focuses on the step-by-step development of the autodissemination device which uses parapheromone lures to attract and disperse EPF to male fruit flies. In laboratory trials using commercially available Beauveria bassiana, we conducted tests of different plastics and prototype designs of reusable 3D-printed autodissemination devices for spore longevity in laboratory and field conditions. We measured the mortality of sexually mature male and female melon flies (Zeugodacus cucurbitae), medflies (Ceratitis capitata), and oriental flies (Bactrocera dorsalis) exposed to the device. The yellow, conical design with a hanging basket to hold a parapheromone lure was the most effective at transferring spores to males and facilitating horizontal transfer of spores to females. This investigation shows the potential of reusable devices for the autodissemination of EPF for fruit fly control.