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