38th Annual Meeting of the Society for Invertebrate Pathology

The emerald ash borer, Agrilus planipennis, a buprestid native to Asia, was identified as the cause of ash (Fraxinus spp.) mortality throughout southeastern Michigan and southern Ontario in 2002. Infestations were later found in Ohio, Indiana, Maryland, Virginia due transport of infested nursery stock, firewood, and timber or natural spread. Regulatory agencies are attempting eradiction of emerald ash borer through detection and removal of infested ash trees; this approach is both expensive and inadequate, as methods for detecting infested trees are lacking, and the infestation is far larger than predicted. We are working on the development of methods to manage emerald ash borer using microbial and biological control. After comparative bioassay of various fungi isolated from woodboring beetles against emerald ash borer, we focused our efforts on the use of Beauveria bassiana GHA against adult beetles due to its 1) virulence and 2) availability as a registered biopesticide. We will present the results of field trials conducted with B. bassiana GHA against emerald ash borer in 2003 and 2004.