Investigation bacterial flora and biological control agent of Euproctis Chrysorrhoe

Euproctis chrysorrhoea (Browntail moth, Lepidoptera) is common plant pest in Turkey and in all over the world. Up to now, chemical substances have been utilized to control these pests. However, recent concern on the hazardous effect of chemical pesticides in the environment made scientists consider finding more effective and safer control agents. In this study, in order to find a more effective and safer pesticide, bacterial flora of Euproctis chrysorrhoea collected in the vicinity of Trabzon and Gümüşhane were determined, and the insecticidal effects of bacterial isolates and eight various biological agents on the larvae of E. chrysorrhoea were tested. As a result, six bacteria and one nematode were isolated. The morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics of these bacterial isolates were identified. According to determined features, the isolates are placed into the genera of Enterobacter, Lactobacillus, Micrococcus and Bacillus. Determined nematode is placed into the family Mermithidae. In additional, the insecticidal effects of isolates, placed into the genus Bacillus are faund as 45%, 25% and 30%. The insecticidal effects of eight various biological agents tested against E. chrysorrhoea are 70% with Lymantria dispar nuclear polyhidrosis virus (LdNPV), 35% with Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV), 55% with toxin isolated from Harry Dumage (HD-1) strain of B. thuringiensis, 25% with toxin isolated from tenebrionis (BTS-1) strain of B. thuringiensis, 5% with Escherichia coli transformed with plasmid containing cry IVA gene (pHE4-A), 5% with E. coli transformed plasmid containing cry IVA and cry IVD genes (pHE4-AD), 5% with E. coli transformed plasmid containing cry IVA and 20- kDa-protein genes (pHE4-AR) and 10% with E. coli transformed plasmid containing cry IVA, cry IVD and 20-kDa-protein genes (pHE4-ADR) of Bacillus thuringiensis. Key Words: Euproctis chrysorrhoea, Biological Control, Bacterial flora, Nematode vn