Optimisation d’une formulation biocide dans le cadre du développement d’une stratégie de biocontrôle de type « attract-and-kill » contre des insectes ravageurs

Wireworm is a polyphagous pest of many crops, for which few effective control methods exist, except for pesticides. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) found naturally in soil may be promising biocidal agents. However, their current use has many limitations. Their joint encapsulation with an attractant and a phagostimulant, in sodium alginate beads, would help to overcome the limits of use. In this study three species of EPNs were identified in the Walloon region: Steinernema carpocapsae, S. affine and S. feltiae. Their virulence towards wireworm larvae (Agriotes lineatus and A. obscurus) was compared with commercial and laboratory strains, revealing the Sc lab1 and Sc enema strains as the most virulent. A formulation has been developed (attractant, phagostimulant and biocide), to achieve the objectives of attraction and appetite of the beads. But some parameters have yet to be adjusted (strain used, quantity to be incorporated).