The Consumption and Survival Rate of Lilioceris cheni (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) on Air Potato Leaves Exposed to Cordyceps javanica (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae)

PFR-97 20% WDG (PFR-97) is a broad-spectrum entomopathogenic fungal biopesticide that contains the active ingredient Cordyceps javanica (Frieder. & Bally) Kepler, B. Shrestha & Spatafora (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae). This biopesticide is labelled for controlling aphids, psyllids, spider mites, thrips, and whiteflies in various crops, but also can infect certain chrysomelid species. Pest control activities applying PFR-97 in 1 agroecosystem may inadvertently drift and affect biological control agents purposefully released in another ecosystem. Therefore, our goal was to determine if PFR-97 was compatible when applied near Lilioceris cheni Gressitt and Kimoto (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a chrysomelid biological control agent for the invasive air potato. The consumption and survival rates of adult beetles after exposure to PFR-97 were investigated via leaf bioassays. Thirty L. cheni adults were provisioned individually with a Dioscorea bulbifera L. (Dioscoreaceae) leaf sprayed with either a C. javanica suspension at the concentration of 106, 105, 103, or 102 blastospores per mL-1 or sterile distilled water (control) for 72 h. Untreated leaves were provided every 3 d for an additional 18 d and leaf consumption was determined. Results showed the survival and leaf consumption of the L. cheni adults did not differ among treatments and control. Overall, our study demonstrated that any inadvertent exposure of L. cheni adults to C. javanica via spray drift is unlikely to impact the performance of the adult biological control agents. PFR-97 20% WDG (PFR-97) es un bioplaguicida fungifero entomopa-tógeno de amplio espectro que contiene el ingrediente activo Cordyceps javanica (Frieder. & Bally) Kepler, B. Shrestha & Spatafora (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae). Este biopesticida está etiquetado para el control de áfidos, psílidos, araña rojas, trips y mosca blancas en varios cultivos, pero también puede infectar a ciertas especies de crisomélidos. Las actividades de control de plagas que aplican PFR-97 en 1 agroecosistema pueden derivar inadvertidamente y afectar a los agentes de control biológico liberados intencionalmente en otro ecosistema. Por lo tanto, nuestro ob-jetivo fue determinar si PFR-97 era compatible cuando se aplicaba cerca de Lilioceris cheni Gressitt and Kimoto (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), un agente de control biológico de crisomélidos para la papa aérea invasora, Dioscorea bulbifera L. (Dioscoreaceae). Se investigaron mediante bioen-sayos en hojas las