The aim of this thesis is to present biological control as an alternative method for controlling the Western corn rootworm. Due to the limitations and disadvantages of using conventional methods to control the Western corn rootworm, biological control is gaining increasing importance. Biological control is practiced worldwide, although the programs differ across regions. Research in the field of biological control of the Western corn rootworm is rare in the United States, whereas significantly more studies have been conducted in Europe. In Slovenia there are two lists of organisms for biological control. The first includes native species, which can be used, if the user is adequately trained and the second includes exotic species, whose use in Slovenia is generally not permitted (with some exceptions). Therefore, in Slovenia, only two species of entomopathogenic nematodes can be used for biological control of the Western corn rootworm: Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steinernema kraussei. The entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora has proven to be more effective. Dianem, which contains Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, is the only commercially available product for biological control of the Western corn rootworm in Slovenia.
|
