Effect of Acremonium Endophytes on Four Species of Billbug Found on New Jersey Turfgrasses

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Abstract
Laboratory studies were conducted to determine the effects of Acremonium endophytes on four species of billbug (Coleoptera:Curculionidae: Sphenophorus parvulus Gyllenhal, S. venatus (Say), S. inaequalis Say, and S. minimus Hart) found damaging cool-season turfgrasses in New Jersey. Billbug adults feeding on potted tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) plants infected with Acremonium coenophialum Morgan-Jones and Gams showed significantly greater mortality than billbugs feeding on endophyte-free tall fescue. Little difference was observed in amount of feeding. In petri dish preference tests, billbug adults were given a choice and, again, no significant difference was observed in the amount of feeding on endophyte-free versus endophyte-infected tall fescue tillers. In a third experiment, billbug adults were placed in petri dishes with either tall fescue with or without A. coenophialum or perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) with or without Acremonium lolii Latch, Christensen, and Samuels. Only small differences were seen in number of eggs laid and amount of feeding. Mortality of all four billbug species, however, was greater on both grasses when endophyte-infected.

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