Three commercial biocides, Biovar® (entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria
bassiana), Protecto® (entomopathogenic bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis) and
Virotecto® (entomopathogenic virus), Granulosis virus were tested against Myzus
persicae (Sulker), Thrips tabaci Lind and Gosmlyce (= Polymmatus) baeticus L. and
their predators on alfalfa crop under field conditions. The biocides were sprayed three
times. Ten alfalfa branches were sampled and checked from each treatment just prior
to treatments and after 1, 3 and 5 days following application. Biovar was the most
effective biocide that reduced the infestation of aphids, thrips and butterfly by 73.9,
55.9 and 53.6%, respectively. Protecto was more effective against butterfly reducing
the infestation by 69.3% but it was less effective against aphids and thrips with
infestation reduction of 36.5 and 31.6%. Virotecto was least effective formulation
against the tested pests causing 41.8, 39.6 and 20.6% reduction of infestation with
aphids, butterfly and thrips, respectively. Also, all tested biocides are broad spectrum
and exhibited toxicity to the associated predators. Rate of mortality in the associated
predators was biocide-dependent and differed from one biocide to the other.
INTRODUCTION
In the recent years, the concern about producing bioorganic crops,
free from pesticides residues, environmental considerations and pollution has
greatly increased. This, ¡n turn, led to shifting research efforts to biological
control programs. One of the requirements of this mission is using biocides
specially in forage crops such as alfalfa and clover (Collier, 1999 and Sakurai
t&., 2001).
ltis
well known that the entomopathogenic fungus (Beauveria
bassiana), the entomopathogenic bacterium (Bacillus thuringiensis) and
granulose virus are widely used against scores of insect pest in different
agreoecosystems, in general, and forage crop ecosystem in particular. These
entomopathogenic microorganisms are available in markets in several
commercials formulations (Leatheredale, 1970; Barson, 1977; Vail et al.,
1991, Scoth et aI., 1993; James and Ligghthart, 1994, and Lopez-Meza and
Ibarra, 1996.
Alfalfa (Medicago satival) is a very important forage crop in Egypt.
This crop is the main refuge and reservoir for hundreds of natural enemies
such as anthocrorid, coccinellids, chrysopids, mantids, parasitic wasps and
several insect pests that cause much damage. Of which, Myzus persicae
(Sulker), (Homoptera: Aphididae), Thrips tabaci Lind (Thysanoptera:
Thripidae) and Gosmylce (Polymmatus) baetricus L. (Lepidoptera:
Lycaenidae) are considered the most important and abundant pests on this
crop.