Combating Japanese Beetles with Fungi
Zurich-Reckenholz, 05. In June of this year, the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica) was detected for the first time in Switzerland, in the canton of Ticino. Considered to be a quarantine pest, it is subject to obligatory control. Agroscope researchers are testing whether this quarantine pest can be controlled with fungi that are effective against May and June beetles. Initial trials have been promising. As its name suggests, the Japanese beetle originates in Japan. There it is preyed on by natural antagonists, which is why it seldom reaches pest population levels there. Around a hundred years ago, however, it set out to conquer the world, leaving its enemies behind. It was discovered for the first time outside its native habitat in the USA in the early 20th century. In the years that followed it quickly spread over the USA and Canada. A varied palate Japanese beetle larvae are white grubs. Like their well-known European relatives, they live in the soil and feed on roots. Their preferred food source is most likely grasses and herbs in damp meadows, but Japanese beetle grubs have also been found in maize and soybean fields. The adult beetles are even less picky. It can feed on around 300 plant species, including tree species, ornamental plants and agriculturally important crops such as maize, vines, strawberries or tomatoes. Besides leaves, the beetles also consume the flowers and fruits of their host plants, thereby wreaking additional damage. Fungi - effective against May and June beetles, ergo against Japanese beetles?
