EVALUATION OF AN ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODE AND CHEMICAL INSECTICIDES FOR CONTROL OF METAMASIUS-HEMIPTERUS-SERICEUS (COLEOPTERA, CURCULIONIDAE)

Several chemical insecticides and the entomopathogenic nematode, Stein ernema carpocapsae (Weiser) (All strain), were evaluated for efficacy against the West Indian sugarcane weevil, Metamasius hemipterus serice us (Olivier), in laboratory and field tests. Three different bioassays and a field study with sugarcane demonstrated that S. carpocapsae wer e efficacious against larvae but not adults of the weevil. These bioas says also demonstrated that adults of M. h. sericeus were killed by la belled rates of commercial formulations of acephate 75WP, carbofuran 2 F, chlorpyrifos 4 EC, cyfluthrin 2 EC, disulfoton 15G, imidacloprid 2F , isofenphos 2I, lindane 25WP, and Vydate L. In a field test with weev il-infested Canary Island date palms, Phoenix canariensis Hortorum ex Chabaub, lindane (25 WP, 1.5 g AI/palm), and imidacloprid (75 WP, 1.2 g AI/palm) had the greatest effect on the percentage mortality of tota l weevils present per palm (> 60%) followed by S. carpocapsae (8 X 10( 6) infective juveniles [IJs]/palm) (51%) and acephate (2.9 g AI/palm) (39%) which were statistically equal to the controls (14%). Control pa lms harbored over 200 M. h. sericeus per tree in the petioles and stem periphery. Because of the potential for high weevil production per pa lm and the cryptic habitat of the boring stages of this weevil, chemic al insecticides and/or entomopathogenic nematodes will need to be appl ied frequently and over a long period of time for effective management .