The adult Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, as a host and potential autodisseminator of the milky disease pathogen, Bacillus popilliae Dutky

Author

Donald Ray Wimmer

Date of Award

12-1982

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Entomology and Plant Pathology

Major Professor

L. E. Klostermeyer

Committee Members

R. R. Gerhardt, C. D. Pless

Abstract

Adult Japanese beetles, Popillia japonica, were evaluated for competency as hosts and potential autodisseminators of the milky disease pathogen. Bacillus popilliae. Adults were injected during a series of 20 replicates with either 1.0 x 10⁵, 5.0 x 10⁴, or 1.0 x 10⁴ spores and maintained for 16 days in a controlled environment. Forty-one percent of the females and 29% of the males were competent hosts. Eighty-four percent of the sporulation had occurred by days 10 and 11 postinjection. Competent beetles contained hemolymph which had an average of 1.6 x 10⁷ spores per µl 16 days postinjection. Beetles injected after mid-July were not competent hosts of the pathogen. A mark, release, and recapture study was conducted. No injected adults were recaptured out of the 1,200 released. Twenty of 4,000 control beetles released were recaptured within two days.

Recommended Citation

Wimmer, Donald Ray, "The adult Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica Newman, as a host and potential autodisseminator of the milky disease pathogen, Bacillus popilliae Dutky. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1982.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/7595