Bacillus thuringiensis Berl. as a potential means of control of cabbage white butterfly (Pieris rapae L.), diamond-back moth (Plutella maculipennis Curt.), and some other lepidoptera

摘要

Abstract The microbial control of insects, though not new, has developed rapidly over the last decade by adopting many of the principles of biological and chemical control. When, late in 1959, an experimental sample of a commercial wettable powder containing 3,000,000,000 viable spores per g of a bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner, became available, small-scale trials were carried out to test the efficacy of the micro-organism against Pieris rapae L., Plutella maculipennis Curt., and other lepidoptera. The present paper records these trials, which showed that, while the bacillus had no effect on Breuicoryne brassicae L., syrphid larvae, and hymenopterous parasites, it was most effective against larvae of P. rapae and P. maculipennis, and was also effective against the larvae of Plusia chalcites Esper., Agriophora coricopa Wlk., and Tortrix sp.