Efficiency of Different Treatments to Control the Fig Wax Moth Ceroplastes rusci in the Laboratory and the Field

Abstract

The present study evaluated the effectiveness of some treatments in controlling the fig wax moth Ceroplastes rusci L. adults on fig trees (Ficus carica), under laboratory and field conditions during the autumn season from 1/10/2024 to 1/11/2024. The control agents used included two chemical pesticides (Actara, Conan), zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), mineral oil, in addition to commercial biological preparations (Beauveria bassiana fungus and Bacillus thuringiensis bacteria). All agents were used in the laboratory and field study (spray method), whereas the irrigation method was used only with the two chemical pesticides. The laboratory results showed significant differences between the different treatments compared to the control of the adult stage of the insect. ZnO nanoparticles at a concentration of 400 mg/L gave the highest mortality rate (100%) 10 days after treatment, followed by the Actara treatment at a concentration of 0.30 g/L with a mortality rate of 98.71%, and the Conan pesticide at a concentration of 0.75 g/L with a mortality rate of 96.26%. The mineral oil at a concentration of 4 ml/L gave a mortality rate of 93.3%. The results showed that the least effective biopesticide was the fungus B. bassiana, with a mortality rate of 87.8%. In contrast, the bacterial biopesticide B. thurngiensis produced the lowest effect, with a mortality rate of 65.03% at the highest concentration. The field experiment using the spray method confirmed the results obtained in the laboratory experiment, as it provided similar results in controlling the insect. The experiment’s irrigation method results also showed that the pesticide Actara outperformed the pesticide Conan in reducing the number of adult insects 14 days after treatment. Finally, the experiments using different control methods showed that the tested control agents contributed significantly to reducing the number of wax scale insects on fig trees, indicating the possibility of integrating these agents into an effective integrated management program to manage the population of this insect.

Keywords:

Adults, Actara, Conan, Ceroplastes rusci, Beauveria bassiana, Bacillus thurngiensis.