A novel approach for the control of the red palm weevil Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (F) using Microsporidia

THE MICROSPORIDIAN VAIRIMORPHA (NOSEMA) EPHESTIAE (MATTES) – (PROTOZOA, MICROSPORIDIA) WAS TESTED AGAINST THE RED PALM WEEVIL (RPW),RHYNCHOPHORUS FERRUGINEUS (F). THE PATHOGEN WAS ISOLATED FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN FLOUR MOTH LARVAE, EPHESTIA KUEHNIELLA ZELL , AND PROPAGATED SUCCESSFULLY ON THE SAME HOST OR ON THE EGYPTIAN COTTON LEAFWORM. THE PATHOGEN CAUSED LETHAL EFFECT TO RPW LARVAE ADULTS WHEN APPLIED AT 25 -100?106 SPORES/ ML, AND MORTALITIES RANGED BETWEEN 75-100 %. IN FIELD THE INFECTED TREES RECOVERED 2-3 WEEKS AFTER INJECTION WITH 100?106 SPORES/ML AT THE RATE OF 200 ML SOLUTION /TREE. STUDIES FOR THE PATHOGEN WERE MADE BY ELECTRON MICROSCOPE. THIS IS A NOVEL APPROACH FOR THE CONTROL OF THE RED PALM WEEVIL USING MICROSPORIDIA