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

AB

W s

tag

es p

er f

t2

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

EP

N-in

fected 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