AERIAL SPRAYING OF A BACILLUS THURINGIENSIS — CHITINASE FORMULATION FOR CONTROL OF THE SPRUCE BUDWORM (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE)

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A 10,000 acre stand of mature balsam fir, in Temiscouata County, Quebec, which had a spruce budworm population of about 21 larvae/18 in. branch-tip was sprayed with a Bacillus thuringiensis + chitinase formulation. Aerial spraying was carried out by three TBM aircraft between 4 and 7 June 1972, when insect development was at the peak of the third instar. Where the quantity of B. thuringiensis colonies per square centimeter was higher than 77 and spray deposit higher than 0.4 gal/acre (U.S.), larval mortality was between 84% and 93% compared with between 39% and 53% in the check plot. Foliage protection was 47%. The results indicate the possibilities of using B. thuringiensis + chitinase to control spruce budworm infestations.