bagworms – Journal of Oil Palm Research https://jopr.mpob.gov.my Wed, 17 Nov 2021 07:14:30 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0 ISOLATION AND AMPLIFICATION BACULOVIRUS AS A BIOCONTROL AGENT FOR BAGWORMS AND NETTLE CATERPILLARS OF OIL PALM https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/isolation-and-amplification-baculovirus-as-a-biocontrol-agent-for-bagworms-and-nettle-caterpillars-of-oil-palm/ Tue, 16 Nov 2021 16:11:18 +0000 https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/V2/?p=10618 Outbreaks of bagworms (Lepidoptera: Psychidae) and nettle caterpillars (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae) in oil palm occasionally affects some estates in Malaysia. Control involves mainly the use of systemic chemicals such as monocrotophos and methamidophos and the spraying of selective narrow spectrum insecticide such as triclorfon. Chemical insecticides pose several potential hazards such residual problem, insect pest resistance to chemicals and increased frequency of pest outbreaks. In the 1991 national biological control conference, integration of selective chemicals with biological control was recommended as a strategy towards non-polluting agriculture in Malaysia. Use of baculovirus (BV) as a biological control agent supports this recommendation. The objective of this study is to report the progress made in collection, isolation and amplification BV for the control of some oil palm insect pests.

Collections of 62,000 larvae of Metisa plana, Wlk (Lepidoptera: PSychidae) and 1000 other pests were made in 1992-1995 from 20 estates in Selangor, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Sabah and Perak. The larvae were dissected, treated and examined for BV infection, particularly the subgroup A and B. The results indicated that nucleopolyhedrosis virus (NPV) was detected in M. plana, but the degree of infection was tertiary, meaning that it did not successfully infect the host. Granulosis viruses (GV) were detected more frequently than the NPV. Detection of BV was enhanced in stressed and newly dead larvae.

To date, Mahasena corbetti NPV (McNPV), Darna trima GV (DtGV), Spodoptera litura NPV (S1NPV), Mamestra brassicae NPV (MbNPV), Agrotis segetum NPV (AsNPV), A.segetum GV (AsGV), Autographa californica NPV (AcNPV) (L1, 210,449) and Panolis flammae NPV (PfNPV) have been purified. Mass production of BV for field experiment has been by in vivo amplification of these viruses in an alternative host, S. litura was carried out. The amplified viruses and cross-infectivity studies against oil palm insect pests.

]]> INTERACTIONS OF THE BAGWORM, Pteroma pendula (LEPIDOPTERA: PSYCHIDAE), AND ITS NATURAL ENEMIES IN AN OIL PALM PLANTATION IN PERAK https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/interactions-of-the-bagworm-pteroma-pendula-lepidoptera-psychidae-and-its-natural-enemies-in-an-oil-palm-plantation-in-perak/ Sat, 13 Nov 2021 15:31:55 +0000 https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/V2/?p=9309 Bagworms are one of the important leaf-eating pests of oil palm in Malaysia and Indonesia, causing high yield losses up to 43% over two years after a serious infestation. Parasitoids and predators play an important role in regulating bagworm numbers. The propagation and establishment of the natural enemies depend on some suitable species of flowering plants as sources of nectar. Cassia cobanensis, a leguminous nectar producing plant is recommended to be grown in oil palm plantations as a food source for parasitoids related to the bagworm. An observation on the interactions of the bagworm pest and its natural enemies was conducted at an oil palm plantation in Perak, Malaysia. A bagworm (Pteroma pendula) infested block, with C. cobanensis planted along the roadside, and a control block with no C. cobanensis within their vicinity, were chosen for the trial. In late 2006, the population of the bagworms increased to 60 live larvae per frond (LPF) in the control block, while in the C. cobanensis block it remained below 30 LPF. A chemical control operation in early 2007 reduced the population of bagworms to negligible levels for about two years. The natural enemies (predators and parasitoids) were monitored using sticky traps and sweep nets in all the plots. Results show that due to the negligible bagworm hosts in the block, activities of the insect parasitoids shifted to the C. cobanensis plants planted along the roadsides. In the control block, the natural enemies still dwelt within the ground covers because of the absence of C. cobanensis plants in the vicinity. Activities of predators were seen to be more prominent on ferns while parasitoids preferred to dwell on plants with nectar sources (C. cobanensis and Asystasia gangetica). These observations strongly suggest the importance of establishing C. cobanensis within the vicinity of oil palm plantations in order to sustain the population of natural enemies for long-term control of bagworms.

]]> EFFICACY OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI, Paecilomyces SPP., IN CONTROLLING THE OIL PALM BAGWORM, Pteroma pendula (JOANNIS) https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/efficacy-of-entomopathogenic-fungi-paecilomyces-spp-in-controlling-the-oil-palm-bagworm-pteroma-pendula-joannis/ Sat, 13 Nov 2021 15:28:52 +0000 https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/V2/?p=9278 Laboratory efficacy of the entomopathogenic fungi, Paecilomyces carneus and P. farinosus, was assessed against the first larval instars of Pteroma pendula, using conidia generated on solid fermentation media. Three isolates of P. carneus and three isolates of P. farinosus were infective on the first larval instars of P. pendula. Most of the Paecilomyces spp. caused a significant increase in mortality between seven days after treatment (DAT) and 11 DAT. However, a dramatic increase in mortality was recorded with isolate PC2 of P. carneus whose effectiveness increased nearly three-fold over this period. The highest corrected mortality after 11 DAT varied from 75% for P. farinosus to 93.8% for P. carneus. Among the tested isolates, P. carneus caused the highest corrected mortality of 93.8% at 11 DAT, while a corrected mortality of only 75% was induced by P. carneus isolated from the soil. The most successful isolate was of P. carneus which controlled over 80% of the first larval instars of the P. pendula population at 11 DAT. This indicates that the efficacy of P. carneus is superior to that of P. farinosus against the first larval instars of P. pendula, and can be exploited as biological control agents of the oil palm pest bagworm.

]]> INFESTATIONS BY THE BAGWORMS Metisa plana AND Pteroma pendula FOR THE PERIOD 1986-2000 IN MAJOR OIL PALM ESTATES MANAGED BY GOLDEN HOPE PLANTATION BERHAD IN PENINSULAR MALAYSIA https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/infestations-by-the-bagworms-metisa-plana-and-pteroma-pendula-for-the-period-1986-2000-in-major-oil-palm-estates-managed-by-golden-hope-plantation-berhad-in-peninsular-malaysia/ Sat, 13 Nov 2021 08:09:40 +0000 https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/V2/?p=9078 Metisa plana Walker and Pteroma pendula Joannis are important pests of the oil palm, Elaeis guineensis Jacquin, which is the primary agricultural crop in Malaysia. Although there is a history of integrated management of the bagworms, information gaps exist with regard to their incidence, biology, dispersion and population dynamics. Such new information is needed to improve the current integrated management of these pests. Analysis of historical records of bagworm infestations over 63 955 ha of oil palm in 69 estates in Peninsular Malaysia showed M. plana and P. pendula to be the primary pests. Infestations were of single or mixed species, and ranged from nil to 7811 ha yr-1. Cumulative infestations were 18 297 ha, 4904 ha and 14 607 ha for single species of P. pendula and M. plana, and for mixed species of P. pendula and M. plana, respectively. This shows P. pendula to be the predominant species, and is attributed to its ability to survive very wet weather (>200 mm rain per month) and its propensity to balloon compared to M. plana, which is predisposed to wash-off by rain.

]]> DISPERSION OF THE BAGWORMS Pteroma pendula AND Metisa plana IN OIL PALM https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/dispersion-of-the-bagworms-pteroma-pendula-and-metisa-plana-in-oil-palm/ Sat, 13 Nov 2021 08:03:01 +0000 https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/V2/?p=9028 An attempt was made to determine optimum sampling unit of between-palm and within-palm distribution of bagworms and their interspecific association distribution in oil palm using aggregation indices or distribution models. The within-frond distribution of bagworms varied significantly within the oil palm crown. Peak bagworm density was recorded between frond numbers 9 and 19. Through polynomial regression, standardised residual and relative net precision analyses, frond number 17 was established as the representative sampling unit for experimental work, and frond numbers 10-19 should be used when a greater precision is required as in life-table construction. A lack of interspecific association suggested these sampling units to be applicable for single and mixed infestations. Evaluation of between-palm dispersion revealed that Taylor’s Power Law gave a more appropriate fit with highly significant r2 values for all categories of assessment. The bagworms were regularly dispersed in oil palm with a general mean-variance relationship of log (s2) = 1.780 + 0.821 log (x¯).

]]> THE CHARACTERISTICS OF INDIGENOUS ENTOMOPATHOGENIC FUNGI ISOLATED FROM INSECT PESTS OF OIL PALM https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/the-characteristics-of-indigenous-entomopathogenic-fungi-isolated-from-insect-pests-of-oil-palm/ Thu, 25 Mar 2021 08:12:06 +0000 https://jopr.mpob.gov.my/V2/?p=2236 Various entomogenous fungi imperfecti (Deuteromycotina) were isolated from diseased bagworms collected from several sites. Beauveria bassiana was very often isolated from Metisa plana sampled at Bukit Cloh Estate, Kapar, Selangor. It was identified as one of the most important factors in controlling the worst ever bag-worm outbreak occuring in 1991 on the estate. Paecilomyces farinosus and Aspergillus flavus together were responsible for drastic and complete mortality of Mahasena corbetti bagworm reared in PORIM outdoor and indoor insectaries in 1991. On the other hand, A. candidus is commonly associated with M. plana in indoor insectaries, and can possibly contribute to the moderately high mortality. It has been proved to be a potential agent for the control of the insect pest. A. ochraceus and A. flavicep were not often found attacking the bagworms, but the study of their pathogenicity should not be neglected. The macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, morphological dimensions and importance of these entomopathogens are described.

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