Course: Exercises in Biological Pest Control (3603-501)

Persons:

• Prof.Dr. Claus Zebitz (verantwortlich)

Type of Course:

exercise

In-Class Hours Per Week:

5

Contents:

practical exercises in:

Laboratory and greenhouse:
- Life tables and description of performance parameters under controlled conditions and various food substrates, e.g. of predatory mites and insects and egg parasitoids;
- Food preference (ecological safety, specificy) of selected antagonists (coccinellids, lace-wings, egg parasitoids);
- Concentration-mortality relations of Codling moth granulovirus (CpGV) and Bacillus thuringiensis;
- Culture and application of an entomopathogenic fungus (either M. anisopliae or B. brongniartii);
- (optional) mol.-biol. characterisation of fungus isolates or Trichogramma species (baited in the field, see below);
- biol. control of greenhouse pests;
The experiments can be combined and/or dedicated to smaller groups.

Field:
- Assessment of antagonistic potential in field crops (apple, wheat or sugar beet, or any other field crop) by baiting, visual control and direct sampling;
- Dispersion of egg parasitoids in apple orchards and the botanical garden;
- Efficiency of natural antagonists in field crops after inundative release.

Literature:

scriptum and exercise protocols will be handed out in the course

Location:

Hohenheim

Module:

• 3603-500 Exercises in Biological Pest Control (compulsory)