Exploration of biological agents in severe pest of coconut beetle (Oryctes sp) in Segedong, Pontianak
By Erwin Irawan Permana
Technical staff of BPTP Pontianak
Based on reports from farmers that have occurred Oryctes sp attack is very severe, then the Staff of the Field Laboratory conduct on-site inspection in Segedong. Together with farmers, we have begun initial discussions about the attacks, control of which has been done, pesticides used, etc.
By Erwin Irawan Permana
Technical staff of BPTP Pontianak
Based on reports from farmers that have occurred Oryctes sp attack is very severe, then the Staff of the Field Laboratory conduct on-site inspection in Segedong. Together with farmers, we have begun initial discussions about the attacks, control of which has been done, pesticides used, etc.
As we know that in circumstances of severe pest, the presence of natural enemies of the pest has the potential to be found. What we do is to look for active nests of the larvae of Oryctes sp and we hope to find the entomopathogenic fungus that causes the death of coconut beetle pests.
Searching finally found the results, from the nest coconut coir waste which has decayed, we found the coconut beetle larvae died allegedly caused by entomopathogenic fungi. Larvae are greenish and odorless, typical symptoms of fungal infection. On the other hand, we also found the larvae of Oryctes sp who allegedly died from baculovirus with rot symptoms in black and the stench spread.
Samples of larvae were dead, then we take it to a laboratory for examination and some testing. We did a test on the larvae of Oryctes sp who are still alive, which we took from the field. Larvae that we are testing with dipped in liquid derived from infected larvae the body part that we have mashed and add water. |
| Coconut suffered by Oryctes sp |
Searching finally found the results, from the nest coconut coir waste which has decayed, we found the coconut beetle larvae died allegedly caused by entomopathogenic fungi. Larvae are greenish and odorless, typical symptoms of fungal infection. On the other hand, we also found the larvae of Oryctes sp who allegedly died from baculovirus with rot symptoms in black and the stench spread.
Less than a week (exactly 5 days later), larvaes began to show symptoms of illness, start weak and do not do a lot of movement. After we let a few days later, larvaes that we are testing the dead with the same symptoms when we find Oryctes sp entomopathogenic fungus that infected and baculovirus.
Based on the testing we did then ascertained that the cause of death of the larva of Oryctes sp is the entomopathogenic fungus Metarrizhium spp and Baculovirus. This is reinforced by looking at these entomopathogenic fungi under a microscope. As for the baculovirus, there is no adequate tool for us to identify a microscope.
Hopefully helpful
