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. 2019 Feb 28;9(1):3127.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-39753-7.

Protecting maize from rootworm damage with the combined application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Pseudomonas bacteria and entomopathogenic nematodes

Affiliations

Protecting maize from rootworm damage with the combined application of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, Pseudomonas bacteria and entomopathogenic nematodes

Geoffrey Jaffuel et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, the western corn rootworm (WCR), is the most destructive pest of maize in North America, and has recently spread across central Europe. Its subterranean larval stages are hard to reach with pesticides and it has evolved resistance to conventional management practices. The application of beneficial soil organisms is being considered as a sustainable and environmental friendly alternative. In a previous study, the combined application in wheat fields of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, entomopathogenic Pseudomonas bacteria, and entomopathogenic nematodes was found to promote growth and protection against a natural pest infestation, without negative cross effects. Because of the insect-killing capacity of the bacteria and nematodes, we hypothesized that the application of these organisms would have similar or even greater beneficial effects in WCR-infested maize fields. During three consecutive years (2015-2017), we conducted trials in Missouri (USA) in which we applied the three organisms, alone or in combinations, in plots that were artificially infested with WCR and in non-infested control plots. For two of the three trials, we found that in plots treated with entomopathogenic nematodes and/or entomopathogenic Pseudomonas bacteria, roots were less damaged than the roots of plants in control plots. During one year, WCR survival was significantly lower in plots treated with Pseudomonas than in control plots, and the surviving larvae that were recovered from these plots were lighter. The bacterial and nematodes treatments also enhanced yield, assessed as total grain weight, in one of the trials. The effects of the treatments varied considerable among the three years, but they were always positive for the plants.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Root damage measured on the node-injury scale (Oleson et al.) depending on the beneficial organisms applied and the western corn root worm (WCR) infestation status. (A) in 2015, (B) in 2016 and (C) in 2017. The dash line represents the economical threshold of root damage. PGPR: plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria, EPN: entomopathogenic nematodes, AMF: arbuscular mycorrhizial fungi, Mix: PGPR + EPN + AMF. Bars represent mean percentage ± SE. Means denoted by different letters are significantly different (P < 0.05, Fisher’s least significant difference test).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Number of western corn root worm larvae recovered from root system depending on the beneficial organisms applied and the western corn root worm (WCR) infestation status. (A) In 2015, (B) in 2016 and (C) in 2017. PGPR: plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria, EPN: entomopathogenic nematodes, AMF: arbuscular mycorrhizial fungi, Mix: PGPR + EPN + AMF. Bars represent mean percentage ± SE. Means denoted by different letters are significantly different (P < 0.05, Fisher’s least significant difference test).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Western corn rootworm weight in response to the application of beneficial organisms. (A) In 2015, (B) in 2016 and (C) in 2017. PGPR: plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria, EPN: entomopathogenic nematodes, AMF: arbuscular mycorrhizial fungi, Mix: PGPR + EPN + AMF. Bars represent mean percentage ± SE. Means denoted by different letters are significantly different (P < 0.05, Fisher’s least significant difference test).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Yield, expressed as maize grain weight, in response to the application of beneficial organisms and the western corn root worm (WCR) infestation status. (A) in 2015, (B) in 2016 and (C) in 2017. PGPR: plant-growth promoting rhizobacteria, EPN: entomopathogenic nematodes, AMF: arbuscular mycorrhizial fungi, Mix: PGPR + EPN + AMF. Bars represent mean percentage ± SE. Means denoted by different letters are significantly different (P < 0.05, Fisher’s least significant difference test).

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