Doctoral Degrees (Conservation Ecology and Entomology)
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Browsing Doctoral Degrees (Conservation Ecology and Entomology) by browse.metadata.advisor "Addison, M. F."
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- ItemBiological and ecological factors contributing to the successful use of entomopathogenic nematodes (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae) for the control of codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) under South African conditions(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2011-12) De Waal, Jeanne Yvonne; Malan, Antoinette P.; Addison, M. F.; Addison, Pia; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology and Entomology.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Codling moth, Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is a devastating pest of pome fruit in temperate regions of the world. Control of this pest, previously involved the extensive use of broad-spectrum insecticides. However, concerns over human safety, environmental impact, widespread dispersal of resistant populations of codling moth and the sustainability of synthetic pesticides in agroecosystems, has encouraged the development and use of alternative environmentally-friendly pest management technologies including the use of entomopathogenic nematodes. These nematodes are lethal pathogens of insects and belong to the families Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae, and are ideal candidates for incorporation into the integrated pest management programme currently being developed for residue-free pome fruit production in South Africa. The biological and ecological factors pertaining to the successful use of these nematodes for the control of codling moth were investigated in this study. Their use for bin-disinfestations was evaluated, focusing on the optimum handling conditions to ensure the survival and subsequent efficacy of the nematodes. The study proved that the local isolate SF41 of Heterorhabditis zealandica Poinar 1990 could be used for successful bin-disinfestation. The use of the same nematode isolate was also investigated for the disinfestation of mulch layers of diapausing codling moth larvae. An insect containment device which allowed for direct trial efficacy evaluation was identified and ecological factors pertaining to the successful use of nematodes for mulch disinfestation were investigated. The biological control potential of local nematode isolates, which had previously never been tested against codling moth larvae, was investigated in the laboratory under conditions as can be expected during orchard applications. The efficacy of the selected isolates was confirmed in field experiments. Innovative insect containment methods for above-ground trial efficacy evaluation in the field were investigated. Desiccation proved to be the most limiting factor to the survival and subsequent efficacy of the nematodes during field applications in temperate regions. The effect of low moisture levels on H. zealandica’s efficacy to control diapausing codling moth larvae was subsequently investigated and a starch-based formulation was further tested to overcome the issue of desiccation. Conclusive results indicated that there were several biological and ecological factors influencing the survival of nematodes and illustrated how these factors could be manipulated to overcome these issues and thereby ensure the efficacy of treatments. This is the first report of its kind to comprehensively investigate the use of South African entomopathogenic nematodes for the control of diapausing codling moth larvae and all results emanating from the study can be integrated into a framework for the commercial use of these nematodes in this regard in future.
- ItemCharacterisation of nematode symbiotic bacteria and the in vitro liquid culture of Heterorhabditis zealandica and Steinernema yirgalemense(Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University, 2013-03) Ferreira, Tiarin; Malan, Antoinette P.; Addison, Pia; Addison, M. F.; Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology and Entomology.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Entomopathogenic nematodes have the potential to be outstanding biocontrol agents against agricultural pest insects. Combined with their bacterial symbionts, these biocontrol agents have proven to be very effective against numerous pests. The nematodes belong to the families Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae, and are ideal to be used in, and integrated with, pest management systems. There is a dire need for new and innovative methods to control agricultural pests, as numerous pest insects have developed resistance against broad-spectrum insecticides. Together with the environmental impact of these insecticides and the safety aspect regarding humans and animals, the need to develop new technologies, including entomopathogenic nematodes for pest management, is high. In this study, the associated symbiotic bacteria of three entomopathogenic nematodes species were isolated, and the potential of two nematode species to be successfully mass cultured in liquid medium was evaluated. Regarding the symbiotic bacteria, results from the study showed that bacteria species from all three nematode species, Heterorhabditis noenieputensis, Steinernema khoisanae and Heterorhabditis zealandica, were novel. Heterorhabditis noenieputensis was isolated in the Mpumalanga province during a previous survey conducted in citrus orchards. The bacterium isolated from this nematode belongs to the genus Photorhabdus, and bear closest similarity (98.6%) to the type strain of P. luminescens subsp laumondii (TT01T). Photorhabdus luminescens subsp. noenieputensis subsp. nov., derives its name from the area where the nematode was sourced, namely the farm Springbokvlei, near the settlement Noenieput close to the Namibian border. Thus far, 85 Steinernema spp. have been described worldwide, including S. khoisanae which was isolated in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Four S. khoisanae strains, namely SF87, SF80, SF362 and 106-C, were used for characterisating the new bacteria from different localities in South Africa. Using the neighbor-joining method, all the strains were aligned with 97% homology to the 16S rRNA sequences of several Xenorhabdus- type strains, indicating that they belonged to the same genus. The multigene approach was used to distinguish between the Xenorhabdus spp. and partial recA, dnaN, gltX, gyrB and infB gene sequences of the various strains were analysed. The bacterium species was named Xenorhabdus khoisanae sp. nov. after the nematode from which it was isolated. The results showed that the third bacterium species, which was isolated from H. zealandica, was new. The sequence of the bacteria strain clustered with the type strains of P. temperata and P. asymbiotica, indicate that it belonged to the genus Photorhabdus. This is the first study to show that H. zealandica associates with a luminescent Photorhabdus species, rather than with the known non-luminescent P. temperata. The potential of H. zealandica and Steinernema yirgalemense mass culture in liquid was investigated. Results illustrated that H. zealandica and its P. luminescens symbiont can be successfully cultured in liquid. However, two generations occurred during the process time, instead of the desirable one-generation. The growth curve of the symbiotic bacteria during the process time was measured, in order to determine when the stationary phase was reached, with the results showing this to occur after 36 h. Therefore, the optimum amount of time required for inoculating the IJs and for aiding in maximum infective juvenile (IJ) recovery is 36 h for adding the nematodes post pre-culturing of the bacteria. Future research goals should be to increase the percentage recovery in liquid culture, which would increase the number of nematodes produced per ml, which would, therefore, reduce the processing time significantly. The results from mass culturing the second nematode species, S. yirgalemense, indicated an asynchronous nematode development in the first generation. Growth curves were performed with the symbiotic bacteria that showed the exponential phase of Xenorhabdus started after 15 h, and that, after 42 h, the stationary phase was reached, with an average of 51 × 107 cfu·ml-1. Bioassays were performed to compare the virulence between in vitro- and in vivo-produced nematodes, with the results showing that the in vitro-produced nematodes were significantly less virulent than were the nematodes produced in vivo. The success obtained with the production of S. yirgalemense in liquid culture can serve as the first step in the optimising and upscaling of the commercial production of nematodes in industrial fermenters. The last aim of the current study was to determine when Xenorhabdus reached the stationary phase, when it is grown in a 20-L fermenter, as this would be the optimum time at which to add the IJs of S. yirgalemense. Such characteristics as the effect of stationary phase conditions on the bacterial cell density and on the DO2 rate in the fermenter were investigated. The results showed that the stationary phase of Xenorhabdus was reached after 36 h at 30˚C, which took 6 h less than did the same procedures followed with the Xenorhabdus sp. cultured in Erlenmeyer flasks on orbital shakers. This is the first step toward the liquid mass culturing of S. yirgalemense in industrial-size fermenters. Data from this study indicated the optimum amount of time that is required for adding nematodes to the bacterial culture in the fermenter, and for ensuring the optimum recovery of IJs, as well as a subsequent high yield of nematodes within a minimum processing time. This is the first report of its kind to investigate comprehensively the successful liquid culture of two South African entomopathogenic nematode species for the sole purpose of evaluating potential commercialisation. Results emanating from this study could be used as groundwork in future, in combination with similar research such as culturing nematodes intensively in large fermenters.
- ItemOptimization of a mass-rearing system to produce codling moth, Cydia pomonella, for a Sterile Insect Release programme in South Africa(Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch, 2011-03) Stenekamp, Daleen; Addison, Pia; Addison, M. F.; University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Conservation Ecology and Entomology.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Codling moth, Cydia pomonella, is a worldwide pest and of major economic importance to the South African pome fruit industry. Sterile insect release is applied as a component of area-wide integrated pest management and includes the mass-rearing, sterilization and the release of the sterile insects. For sterile insect release, the improvements of rearing methods in terms of the quality of the diet ingredients and the economical aspect of the rearing method are examined. The effect of genetically modified maize meal, containing the Bacillus thuringiensis gene, in an artificial medium for codling moth rearing, is determined. The use of even a small amount of Bacillus thuringiensis resulted in larval mortality and prolonged development. These results are detrimental to a mass-rearing facility and must be considered by any rearing facility that uses genetically modified maize meal if the insect is sensitive to the gene. An alternative to maize meal in the artificial medium was tested and whole wheat flour was considered to be a suitable replacement. Agar agar is an expensive gelling agent used in the artificial medium. An alternative for agar agar (Kelcogel, Elastigel and carrageenen) is tested and the biological effect on codling moth is determined. Factors such as mortality, pupal and moth weight, longevity, fecundity and development time were used as quality parameters. Results showed that Elastigel was a suitable replacement for agar agar, with bigger pupae and moths, higher fecundity and increased longevity. The economical advantage of the replacement is a 40.91% reduction of the diet cost. The other gelling agents tested also gave acceptable results and can be considered if shortages of agar agar or Elastigel occur. A new method of mass-rearing codling moth larvae in a closed rearing system using large trays placed in a ventilated box is designed. This method is more cost and space effective as a smaller area is needed to rear a large number of moths. The risk of diet contamination is less because of the closed environment and more economical and effective air handling. This is the first report of its kind to describe the mass-rearing of codling moth in a closed environment and the risks involved in using genetically modified maize meal in an artificial diet for the codling moth. These results should be incorporated into existing mass-rearing facilities or taking into consideration when designing new mass-rearing facilities.