Compatibility of methanolic extract fractions of Citrus sinensis pomace with biological agents for managing the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica in soybean - Angélica Calandrelli; Angélica Miamoto; Giovanna Seron; Francielli Alana Pereira Valeze; Frank Willian Ferreira; Gabriel Sabino Janunzzi; Debora Cristina Baldoqui; Cláudia Regina Dias-Arieira (BioControl, 2026)
Agroindustrial wastes are increasingly investigated for phytonematode management due to their rich phytochemical composition. However, they may also affect beneficial microorganisms used as biological control agents. This study evaluated the effects of extract fractions from Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck pomace, alone or combined with nematicidal agents, on the reproduction of Meloidogyne javanica (Treub, 1885) Chitwood in soybean, and assessed in vitro compatibility with biological agents and egg parasitism. A greenhouse reproduction assay used commercial products based on Purpureocillium lilacinum (Thom) Luangsa-ard, Houbraken, Hywel-Jones and Samson + Pochonia chlamydosporia (Goddard) Zare and Gams, Bacillus firmus Bredemann and Werner, and abamectin, applied with or without the ethyl acetate (EAF) and dichloromethane (DCMF) fractions of a crude methanolic extract prepared at 1.5% (m/v), plus an untreated control. For microbial growth, microorganisms were isolated from the commercial products and cultured in the presence or absence of EAF and DCMF. Egg parasitism was evaluated by incubating M. javanica eggs with nematophagous fungi with and without the fractions. EAF and DCMF alone reduced M. javanica reproduction in soybean and did not alter the efficacy of the nematicidal agents. Conversely, the fractions, particularly EAF, reduced mycelial growth and sporulation of P. chlamydosporia and P. lilacinum and decreased B. firmus viability, and their combination with the fungal treatment reduced egg parasitism. Nevertheless, when applied in combination with nematicides, extract fractions did not influence the control of M. javanica in soybean.

Species-specific interactions between Marrubium vulgare solvent extracts and entomopathogenic nematodes for Phthorimaea operculella (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) control - Davoud Mohammadi; Albrecht M. Koppenhöfer; Naser Eivazian Kary (BioControl, 2026)

A new potential biological control agent—the interaction between the parasitoid fly Neobrachelia edessae (Diptera: Tachinidae) and the stink bug Edessa meditabunda (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) - María Candela Barakat; Sofía Pilar Díaz; Rodrigo de Vilhena Perez Dios; Graciela Minardi; María Fernanda Cingolani (BioControl, 2026)
Tachinid flies are natural enemies of adult hemipterans of the family Pentatomidae, which are considered pests of economically important crops. We evaluated the performance of Neobrachelia edessae Townsend (Diptera: Tachinidae), a Neotropical parasitoid fly of the stink bug Edessa meditabunda (Fab.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), and assessed the effects of parasitism on host longevity, fecundity, and fertility. Differences in parasitism rates were analysed considering host exposure times, number of male parasitoids per experimental unit, maternal origin of the female fly, and sex of the offered host. In addition, the performance of the F1 generation was evaluated in terms of parasitism success. Female performance improved with longer host exposure times, when female parasitoids had copulated with more than one male, and when female flies were obtained from field-collected hosts. More than 60% of the progeny from the parasitoid females that were allowed to copulate with more than one male were able to pupate, whereas when parasitoid females copulated with only one male, just 44% of the progeny were able to pupate. Parasitism decreases the longevity of both male and female hosts and reduced both the fecundity and fertility of females. Moreover, parasitized E. meditabunda exhibited lifespans of approximately half those of unparasitized stink bugs. In addition, parasitized females experienced an approximate 30% decline in fecundity and a 23% decline in fertility relative to unparasitized females. These results indicate that N. edessae has a strong potential as a biological control agent of E. meditabunda .

Flowering plants mediate stronger top-down pest regulation in maize fields - Mihwan Sataral; Akhmad Rizali; I. Wayan Winasa; Hermanu Triwidodo; Rosyid Amrulloh; Fajrin Fahmi; Damayanti Buchori (BioControl, 2026)

Virulence and transmission potential of indigenous entomopathogenic fungi against Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) - Zeynep Bayramoğlu; Merve Ayşe Doğancı; Bora Öktem; Hatice Çolak; Ardahan Eski; Seda Biryol; İslam Saruhan; İsmail Demir (BioControl, 2026)

Molecular and functional analysis of RNAi machinery genes in a neuropteran insect predator, Chrysoperla zastrowi sillemi - V. S. Chinnu; M. Mohan; R. Manjunatha; P. J. Aneesha; Suresh R. Jambagi (BioControl, 2026)

spp.as biocontrol agents of post-harvest fungal decay in fruits and vegetables: mechanisms of action, challenges and opportunities - Leidoh Marcellin Akpafi; Wenwen He; Guanghao Li; Chenyang Zhu; Mengyue Wu; Yun Wang (BioControl, 2026)

Can biological control become a scalable solution for crop pest management in Nigeria? A focus on entomopathogenic nematodes - Christopher Tobe Okolo; Christian Borgemeister (BioControl, 2026)
The over-reliance on chemical pesticides for crop pest control has raised serious concerns about their environmental and health impacts. Biological control agents (BCAs), including entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), offer safer and more sustainable alternatives. Despite promising experimental results, adoption of BCAs in sub-Saharan Africa remains limited. In Nigeria, EPNs are largely unknown to farmers, and no commercial production or importation system exists. This study investigates the sociocultural and institutional factors influencing farmers’ willingness to adopt EPNs as a biological control strategy. We surveyed 740 smallholder farmers across ten study locations (two per agroecological zone; n = 74 farmers per location) representing five major agroecological zones of Nigeria. The survey was done from May to August 2022. Awareness of EPNs was virtually absent across all locations (mean

Intraguild predation and biological control: developing a new model to evaluate parasitoid-predator interactions - María B. Aguirre; Octavio A. Bruzzone; Serguei Triapitsyn; Stephen Hight; Hilda Diaz-Soltero; Guillermo A. Logarzo (BioControl, 2026)

Biocontrol potential of anthracnose in sorghum by Bacillus spp. and its lipopeptide extracts - Nataniel Osmar Risse; Evilyn Eduarda Prandini Santana; Vinicius Facin Nugoli; Fernanda Koch; Marco Antonio Bacellar Barreiros; Luciana Grange; Vivian Carré Missio; Robson Fernando Missio (BioControl, 2026)
Climate change is increasing constraints on crop production and reinforcing the need for sustainable alternatives to chemical disease control. Sorghum is a drought-tolerant crop of increasing importance. However, anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum sublineola remains its most destructive disease, and no biological control products are currently registered for its management. This study evaluated bacterial isolates as potential biological control agents against sorghum anthracnose. Bacteria isolated from honey were identified as Bacillus spp. based on 16S rDNA sequencing and screened for antifungal activity in vitro . Four isolates inhibited mycelial growth of C. sublineola by more than 67%. Lipopeptide extraction and characterization confirmed the production of surfactin, fengycin, and iturin. Greenhouse assays demonstrated that bacterial cell suspensions reduced symptomatic leaf area by 40%, whereas lipopeptide extracts reduced disease severity by 77% and significantly increased the chlorophyll index. The most effective treatments were further evaluated under field conditions, confirming their effects on disease suppression and plant physiological performance. Three Bacillus isolates showed strong potential for biological control of sorghum anthracnose using both talc-based formulations and lipopeptide extracts. Further studies are required to optimize formulation stability and assess long-term field efficacy.

Vip3Aa35 enhances the efficacy of Bacillus thuringiensis, Beauveria bassiana, and SeNPV for Spodoptera exigua control: a synergistic approach for sustainable pest management - Mongkon Utamatho; Sumarin Soonsnga; Cheerapha Panyasiri; Amporn Rungrod; Samrit Kiewwong; Boonhiang Promdonkoy (BioControl, 2026)

Efficacy of an indigenous entomopathogenic fungus, Aschersonia aleyrodis, in controlling Bemisia tabaci on soybean - Marida Santi Yudha Ika Bayu; Yusmani Prayogo; Sri Wahyuni Indiati; Apri Sulistyo; Alfi Inayati; Dewi Rumbaina Mustikawati; Gatut Wahyu Anggoro Susanto; I Nyoman Widiarta; Yadi Suryadi; Trizelia; Otto Endarto; Arief Harsono; et al. (BioControl, 2026)
Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) is a major pest in soybean, causing both direct feeding damage and acting as a vector for several plant viruses. The emergence of resistant B. tabaci biotypes to synthetic insecticides underscores the need for effective and sustainable alternatives. This study evaluated the efficacy of an indigenous isolate of the entomopathogenic fungus (EPF) Aschersonia aleyrodis (TMP-Dc3) for managing B. tabaci populations under laboratory and field conditions between February and October 2024. Treatments included varying conidial concentrations of A. aleyrodis (10 5 , 10 6 , 10 7 , and 10 8 conidia ml −1 ) and a synthetic insecticide (thiamethoxam) as a chemical control. The 10 7 conidia ml −1 treatment significantly suppressed B. tabaci populations in the field compared to other fungal densities and thiamethoxam. Notably, B. tabaci densities were higher in the thiamethoxam treatment, likely due to reduction in natural enemy abundance. Although thiamethoxam-treated plants produced slightly higher seed yields (14.26 g plant −1 ), plants treated with 10 7 conidia ml −1 of A. aleyrodis achieved a comparable yield (14.03 g plant −1 ). A significant negative correlation was observed between the number of empty pods and total seed weight (r = –0.697), while a positive correlation existed between whitefly populations at 56 days after planting and empty pods (r = 0.476). The TMP-Dc3 isolate exhibited strong chitinase and protease activities, highlighting its potential as a promising biopesticide and sustainable alternative to chemical insecticides for managing B. tabaci in soybeans crops.

Efficacy of new biocontrol agents against Rhizoctonia solani in lettuce evaluated through an automated imaging system and their effect on bacterial soil communities - Alessia Follador; Marco Torrente; Stefano Morandi; Paolo Tirelli; Matteo Gualandris; Alessandro Passera; Abdeslam Asehraou; Milena Brasca; Roberto Oberti; Paola Casati (BioControl, 2026)
In recent years, biocontrol agents (BCAs) have gained attention as sustainable alternatives or complements to synthetic chemicals for managing phytopathogens and enhancing plant growth. In this study, six bacterial strains were evaluated as BCAs against Rhizoctonia solani (RS), a soil-borne pathogen affecting economically important crops. Two strains ( Bacillus sp. B04A33 and Psychrobacillus sp. B04A42) were isolated from maize embryos, while Lactiplantibacillus plantarum strains (ITEM 17215, ITEM 17218, ITEM 18335 and S61) originated from food or animal sources. A commercial Trichoderma -based product (REMEDIER®, Gowan Italia) served as the control. Biocontrol effectiveness was assessed both in vitro and in vivo on lettuce using an automated imaging system for plant growth monitoring. In soils infected by R. solani, the inoculum of s trains B04A33, B04A42, and S61 enhanced germination and seedling vigor, and increased dry weight of shoots and roots. Root system development, analyzed via image processing in Matlab, confirmed improved growth. The qPCR analysis of soil samples showed that microbial abundance increased in non-treated (NT) and S61 + RS treatments, while R. solani levels decreased in B04A33 + RS and B04A42 + RS. Oxford Nanopore MinION sequencing of soil samples revealed dominance of Pseudomonadota , Actinomycetota , and Bacillota , with enrichment of Bacillaceae and Lactobacillaceae in B04A42 and S61 treatments, confirming the successful establishment of the inoculated strains within the soil microbiome. These results support both the potential of selected bacterial strains as effective BCAs against RS and the use of automated imaging in BCAs screening procedures, promoting sustainable and technology-assisted crop management.

Evaluation of the predatory soil mite Blattisocius mali (Acari: Blattisociidae) as a biocontrol agent of the acarid mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae (Acari: Acaridae) infesting stored flower bulbs - Manoj Kumar Jena; Marcin Studnicki; Dariusz Sochacki; Katarzyna Michalska (BioControl, 2026)

Trade-offs between regeneration and development under food stress in the biocontrol agent, Cheilomenes sexmaculata (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) - Shriza Rai; Tripti Yadav; Geetanjali Mishra (BioControl, 2026)

Harnessing phage biocontrol strategies for managing bacterial plant pathogens - Sajad Ali; Tarequl Islam; Mohammed A Almalki; Muhammad Fazle Rabbee (BioControl, 2026)

Developmental morphology reveals the key parasitic role of the first-instar larva in the hypermetamorphosis of Dastarcus helophoroides (Coleoptera: Bothrideridae) - Yifan Zhang; Ke Wei; Xueting Yang; Cuicui Geng; Shangkun Gao (BioControl, 2026)

Genomic insights and biocontrol potential of endophytic Bacillus subtilis strain B_SP against fungal pathogen Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in Dioscorea alata L. - Amrutha Pandirikkal Ravindran; Jeeva Muthulekshmi Lajapathy; Sreelatha Gopalakrishnan Lalithakumari; Makeshkumar Thangaraj; Veena Syamala Swayamvaran; Tom Cyriac; Akhil Kannolickal Mohan; Shilpa Sreekumar Usha (BioControl, 2026)

Selectivity of few chemical insecticides and entomopathogenic fungi Cordyceps fumosorosea on the parasitoid Encarsia guadeloupae and on the predator Apertochrysa astur in coconut - Rakshith H.S; Jayalaxmi Narayan Hegde; Sumalatha B.V; Selvaraj K; Rajashekarappa K; Ganesha Naik R; Thippesha D (BioControl, 2026)

Identification and fumigant effects of nematicidal volatile organic compounds produced by nematophagous fungi against root-knot nematodes - Cássia Gondim Pereira; Jodieh Oliveira Santana Varejão; Aline Ferreira Barros; Walysson Ferreira de Paiva; Huarlen Márcio Balbino; Dyenici Rodrigues; Maria Eliana Lopes Ribeiro de Queiroz; Leandro Grassi de Freitas; Eduardo Vinícius Vieira Varejão (BioControl, 2026)
Plant-parasitic nematodes of the genus Meloidogyne , commonly known as root-knot nematodes, pose a significant threat to global agricultural productivity. Due to concerns about environmental impact and human health risks, the use of commercially available synthetic nematicides has become increasingly restricted. Consequently, the search for natural molecules with nematicidal properties has emerged as a promising alternative. In this study, we found that nine nematophagous fungal isolates belonging to the genera Arthrobotrys , Monacrosporium , Duddingtonia , and Pochonia produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) with nematicidal activity against Meloidogyne incognita . The major VOCs, identified by SPME–GC–MS, exhibited high mortality rates against second-stage juveniles (J2) of M. incognita , with LC₅₀ values comparable to, and LC₉₅ values lower than, those of the commercial nematicide fluensulfone. All identified VOCs significantly inhibited egg hatching in vitro, and several compounds, at concentrations of 200 μg ml⁻ 1 , nearly eliminated in vivo nematode reproduction in soybean plants under fumigation assays. Among them, 1-octen-3-ol, 3-octanone, and benzaldehyde showed the greatest potential as natural bionematicidal fumigants. This is the first report of nematicidal VOC production by A. cladodes , A. conoides , A. robusta , A. musiformis , and M. thaumasium .

Correction to: Effects of microhabitats and seasonal conditions on the supercooling points of Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in Vermont, USA - George Ni; Nicholas J. Gotelli; Jian J. Duan (BioControl, 2026)

Effects of microhabitats and seasonal conditions on the supercooling points of Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in Vermont, USA - George Ni; Nicholas J. Gotelli; Jian J. Duan (BioControl, 2026)

Idiobiont or koinobiont? Re-evaluating the parasitism mode of Aphytis sp. nov., a biological control agent of San Jose scale - Paula Altesor; Álvaro García; Marianela Larramendy; Irene Pandulli (BioControl, 2026)

Intercropping Brassica rapa with soybean suppresses Myzus persicae population growth and increases attraction of adult Harmonia axyridis - Xixian Chen; Zihao He; Xu Yanbo; Jamin Ali; Adil Tonğa (BioControl, 2026)

Divergent immune responses of Phytoseiid mites to bacterial pathogen Acaricomes phytoseiuli - Hong Yan; Yu Chen; Xiangli Dang; Endong Wang; Xuenong Xu; Bo Zhang (BioControl, 2026)

Diet-driven reproduction: exploring the relationship between aphid feeding and fertility in the lady beetle Eriopis connexa (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) - Caio Victor de Brito Remigio; Ianne Caroline da Silva Nobre; Glaucilane S. Cruz; Jorge Braz Torres; Valéria Wanderley Teixeira; José Dijair Antonino (BioControl, 2026)
Eriopis connexa , a neotropical aphidophagous lady beetle important for various soft-bodied pest species control, requires feeding on aphids for enhanced reproductive output. To understand the physiological basis of this dependency, we investigated how the absence of the preferred prey, aphids, affects E. connexa reproductive fitness. We compared females fed only Ephestia kuehniella eggs (a factitious food) with those provided E. kuehniella eggs alongside limited access to the aphid Lipaphis pseudobrassicae (a preferred prey). Egg numbers were similar in females from both diets after 60 days. However, females on an aphid-supplemented diet cease oviposition around day 30, exhibiting egg viability around 35%. Conversely, females fed with E. kuehniella eggs alone cease oviposition around day 60, with egg viability close to 0. These females also exhibited greater longevity. At the molecular level, the lack of aphids resulted in females with a ~twofold downregulation of Vitellogenin 1 ( Vg1 ) and a dramatic ~40-fold upregulation of its receptor, VgR . Key genes in the insulin signaling pathway ( AKT and FoxO ) were also upregulated. Biochemically, the aphid-free diet led to females with higher glycogen levels, supported by the upregulation of Glycogen Synthase ( GS ). Therefore, the absence of aphids in E. connexa diet led to altered egg-laying pattern, reduced fertility and longer lifespan. This physiological shift, mediated by the insulin pathway and glycogen levels, highlights how preferred prey regulates reproductive success. These findings provide a basis for optimizing mass-rearing protocols, allowing for more cost/labor-effective maintenance of E. connexa in biological control programs.

Development of dry and oil-based formulations of Metarhizium anisopliae using carrier materials for effective control of red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) - Nahdia Perveen; Abu Bakar Muhammad Raza; Muhammad Arshad; Panagiotis Eliopoulos; Samah F. Ibrahim; Mustafa Shukry; Samy Sayed; Hanan M. A. Hamada (BioControl, 2026)

Intrinsic competition between Coptera haywardi (Hymenoptera: Diapriidae) and two native opiine parasitoid species attacking Anastrepha ludens (Diptera: Tephritidae) immatures - Gibran Clemente; Jorge Toledo; Gabriela Pérez-Lachaud; Salvador Flores; Javier Valle-Mora; Pablo Liedo; Pablo Montoya (BioControl, 2026)

Development of a multiplex PCR assay to identify two key alfalfa weevil (Hypera postica) parasitoids, Bathyplectes curculionis and Oomyzus incertus, in western North America - Chulantha P. Diyes; Michelle Reid; Priyanka Mittapelly; Jennifer Holowachuk; Julian R. Dupuis; Héctor A. Cárcamo; Boyd A. Mori (BioControl, 2026)

A classical biological control program revisited: establishment, spread and mitochondrial diversity of Neodusmetia sangwani (Subba Rao) (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) - Chrysalyn Dominguez; Jessica Simons; Iris Chien; John M. Heraty (BioControl, 2026)
Neodusmetia sangwani (Subba Rao) (Encyrtidae) is a classical biological control agent of the rhodesgrass mealybug, Antonina graminis (Maskell) (Pseudococcidae), imported from India and first released in Texas, USA in 1959. Although subsequent releases were considered established in Arizona and Hawai`i, USA, establishment in California following releases in the Imperial Valley in 1968 had not been confirmed. Yellow pan trap surveys conducted on the University of California, Riverside campus, USA in 2016, 2024, and 2025 yielded more than 150 specimens across multiple habitats, with additional collections from Jurupa Valley and community science records (iNaturalist) from San Diego, California, supporting the presence of persistent populations. These findings document the successful establishment and year-round persistence of N. sangwani in southern California, USA. Mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) barcodes were generated for California specimens and compared with records in the Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). Fifty closely matching sequences were identified worldwide, representing four geographically structured Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) of N. sangwani from Africa, South Asia, Australia, and the Americas. Mean mitochondrial divergence among BIN-associated clades ranged from 2.5–5.3% (Kimura 2-parameter), with the greatest differentiation observed in specimens from India and Pakistan. Despite this mitochondrial structure, no consistent morphological differences were detected among lineages. iNaturalist observations document a much broader global distribution. Our results confirm the establishment of N. sangwani in California and highlight the value of combining DNA barcoding with global biodiversity databases to improve post-release monitoring and assess lineage-level genetic variation in biological control agents.

Control of fall armyworm with Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus in sweet corn cultivated under agroecological conditions - T. Cunningham; C. de la Colina; M. Pérez; G. Quintana; Marco D´Amico; M. Berretta; J. Niz; M. L. Ferrelli; R. Salvador (BioControl, 2026)

Novel lactic acid bacteria as biocontrol agents against tomato bacterial canker: genomic insights into biosynthetic gene clusters - Hande Evren Arda Ergin; Utku Sanver; Hatice Ozaktan (BioControl, 2026)
Bacterial canker, caused by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp . michiganensis , remains one of the most devastating diseases affecting tomato production globally, necessitating sustainable biocontrol strategies. This study investigates the biocontrol potential and plant growth efficacy of indigenous lactic acid bacteria isolated from tomato tissues in the Izmir province of Türkiye. Six potent isolates, identified as Lacticaseibacillus paracasei and Lacticaseibacillus zeae , were evaluated through in vitro assays and in planta trials across two susceptible tomato cultivars, ‘SC2121’ and ‘Corvette’. While the isolates exhibited no direct antagonism against Clavibacter michiganensis subsp . michiganensis in dual culture assays, they demonstrated significant disease suppression in planta , with Lacticaseibacillus paracasei LBT2 (G1) achieving up to 45.71% efficacy. All isolates displayed robust plant growth promoting traits, including indole acetic acid production, siderophore activity, and phosphate solubilization, leading to substantial increases in root and shoot biomass. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects, the whole genome of the most effective strain, LBT2, was sequenced. Genomic mining revealed five distinct biosynthetic gene clusters, including an arylpolyene cluster (88% similarity) for oxidative stress protection and an aerobactin-like siderophore cluster (66% similarity). Notably, the presence of highly divergent NRPS (3% similarity) and thiopeptide (14% similarity) clusters suggests the potential for novel, cryptic antimicrobial metabolites that may be activated within the host environment. These findings position Lacticaseibacillus paracasei LBT2 as a multi-functional biocontrol agent that integrates direct growth promotion with genomic potential for pathogen suppression, offering a promising tool for integrated pest management in tomato cultivation.

miR-8 modulates reproductive and tissue homeostasis traits in Arma chinensis Fallou: a new insight to improve biological control - Ximei Yuan; Yiqing He; Chen Wang; Yuejun Fu (BioControl, 2026)

Patch dispersal and parasitism efficiency of the parasitoid Telenomus podisi are influenced by host abundance and release accuracy - Nathália Graziele Falcão Fernandes; Júlio Alckmin Magalhães Souza; Pedro Vinicius Nogueira de Oliveira; Lessando Moreira Gontijo (BioControl, 2026)
Habitat quality is an important factor linked to decision-making in female parasitoids, whether related to the infestation patch quality or the availability of resources in the area. Host abundance, together with the spatial location of the infested patch, is known to be directly linked to the foraging time and parasitism efficiency of parasitoids. Within this context, this study aimed to investigate how host abundance affects patch residence time by Telenomus podisi (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae) and whether the accuracy of its spatial release in the field influences parasitism rates upon eggs of Euschistus heros (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). Two separate experiments were conducted according to our objectives. The first, a microcosm experiment, evaluated the patch residence time in relation to host abundance. The second, a semi-field experiment, evaluated parasitism of E. heros eggs in relation to parasitoid release accuracy. The dispersal time of T. podisi females from the microcosm study was significantly lower at high densities of E. heros eggs. In addition, event probability analyses further indicated that females are less likely to disperse at high host egg abundance when compared to low abundance. In addition, the location where the parasitoids were released in the field had a significant effect on the parasitism rate. T. podisi parasitized more E. heros eggs when the females were released more accurately on the infestation spot. Given these results, host abundance and release accuracy should be considered to optimize the augmentative biological control of E. heros in soybean fields.

Survival of Metarhizium humberi in granular formulations, and activity against Aedes aegypti adults after prolonged storage - Juan Mercado Martinez; Juscelino Rodrigues; Ricardo Neves Marreto; Christian Luz (BioControl, 2026)
Interest in mycoinsecticides for integrated mosquito control is high, and a granular formulation of Metarhizium humberi is showing promising results against Aedes aegypti , a vector of important arboviruses in the tropics. Storage conditions will affect shelf-life and the further fitness of mycoinsecticides. Here, two granular formulations with microsclerotia plus conidia or with only conidia were packed loose or fixed on black cloth in bags with ambient or low air pressure and subsequently stored at 25 °C or 4 °C for up to 24 months. Temperature proved to be the most critical factor for extended shelf-life. Both conidia and microsclerotia quickly lost their viability in the first two months of storage at 25 °C. The lower temperature distinctly retarded the decline of viability of propagules and increased shelf-life and activity in A. aegypti adults up to 16 months. The packing method used did not affect shelf-life and enables more flexible use. Often unavoidable suboptimal temperatures remain a major challenge for extended storage of mycoinsecticides that needs to be addressed.

Predation of Pterostichus melanarius on cocoons of soybean gall midge, Resseliella maxima - Regina S. Stacke; Sarah C. von Gries; Arthur V. Ribeiro; Pheylan A. Anderson; Amelia R. I. Lindsey; Robert L. Koch (BioControl, 2026)
The soybean gall midge, Resseliella maxima Gagné (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), feeds on soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merrill (Fabales: Fabaceae), causing significant injury and yield losses. Pterostichus melanarius Illiger (Coleoptera: Carabidae), a generalist predator introduced to North America, has been reported to prey on R. maxima larvae under laboratory conditions. Understanding the feeding preference of P. melanarius on different prey life stages is important to evaluate its role in the biological control of R. maxima . Three laboratory experiments were conducted to assess predatory behaviors. In a no-choice test, P. melanarius adults fed on both R. maxima free (i.e., not cocooned) larvae and cocooned larvae, showing significant differences in prey consumption between R. maxima developmental stages over time. A choice test revealed a preference of P. melanarius adults for free larvae over cocooned larvae within the first hour, although this preference was not significant after 24 h. In an experiment examining the effect of soil on predation rates, P. melanarius adults consumed larvae and cocooned pupae placed either without soil, on the soil surface, or at a 1 cm depth, and predation rates were influenced by prey stage and the presence and depth of soil. These findings indicate that P. melanarius adults can feed on cocooned life stages, but that the presence of soil may hinder predation.

Biocontrol practitioners’ perspectives on emerging genetic-based technologies for weed management - M. A. Rafter; N. Kumaran; D. R. Brookes; M. K. Reid; K. E. Bowers; A. J. McConnachie; M. Cristofaro; R. F. H. Sforza; B. Gooden; M. Hopper (BioControl, 2026)
Weed biocontrol researchers have been at the forefront of developing management solutions for invasive weeds for over 100 years and have a unique perspective to offer on the emerging field of genetic-based technologies such as gene drive and RNAi. As part of the XVI International Symposium on Biological Control of Weeds in May 2023 we conducted a focus group discussion workshop to explore biocontrol practitioners’ perspectives related to: (1) Genetic-based control technologies, and the factors influencing support (or not) for their application to weed management, especially weed biocontrol, (2) perceived opportunities to apply genetic-based control tools to enhance or complement weed biocontrol, focusing on whether/how genetic tools can be applied to fundamentally change the practice of weed biocontrol, and (3) genetic-based control in weed management and how it can operate within the Access and Benefit Sharing regulatory landscape. We analyse the perspectives of biocontrol scientists from the workshop and discuss the prospects and challenges of integrating novel genetic-based control tools with weed biocontrol.

Behavioral and electrophysiological responses of fall armyworm larval parasitoid Coccygidium luteum to maize and companion plant volatiles - Emmanuel Peter; Sevgan Subramanian; Abdullahi Yusuf; Samira A. Mohamed; Baldwyn Torto; Emily A. Martin; Amanuel Tamiru (BioControl, 2026)
Companion cropping and biological control are among the best agronomic practices recommended for ecologically sustainable management of the invasive fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda J.E. Smith (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Companion plants may suppress the FAW population by repelling the pest, disrupting host-plant location and recruiting biocontrol agents such as parasitoids. These interactions are primarily mediated by plant-derived volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Understanding parasitoids’ responses to VOCs emitted by companion plants enables selection of suitable cultivars to enhance biological control and design appropriate intercropping systems for effective FAW management. This study investigated behavioral and electrophysiological responses of a key FAW larval parasitoid, Coccygidium luteum Brullé (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), to odors from maize and different companion crops used in maize-based intercropping systems. In an olfactometer bioassay, gravid C. luteum were attracted to volatiles from FAW-damaged maize and intact companion plants (sweet potato, beans, groundnut) compared to control, but not to intact maize or cassava. Interestingly, females of C. luteum were equally attracted to volatiles from intact companion plants and FAW-damaged maize in multiple-treatment assays, suggesting that certain VOCs emitted by both plants may have ecological relevance. Chemical and electrophysiological analyses identified several bioactive compounds in the companion plant volatiles, including ( E )-2-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, nonanal, ( E )-β-ocimene, ( E )-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, decanal, ( E )-nerolidol, and ( E , E )-4,8,12-trimethyl-1,3,7,11-tridecatetraene, known to influence parasitoid foraging. These findings provide further insight into the companion plants-FAW-parasitoid interactions and support the development of effective, economical, and environmentally friendly FAW management strategies using companion cropping and biological control.

Biological control of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and improvement of growth and anatomical features in infected Phaseolus vulgaris plants by three Trichoderma strains - Asmaa El-Nagar; Yasser S. A. Mazrou; Abeer H. Makhlouf; Mansour M. El-Fawy; Mohamed G. A. Hegazy; Ghoname M. Amer; Duaa M. H. Rezk; Shahinaz E. Ahmed; Mohamed K. Abou-Shlell (BioControl, 2026)

Spatial modulation of multi-fungal antagonism in integrated insect and pathogen biocontrol - Mustapha Touray (BioControl, 2026)

Biocontrol action of Cladosporium anthropophilum against the wheat powdery mildew fungus Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici - Sujing Zhao; Ziyi Fan; Juncong Liu; Mo Zhu; Zongbo Qiu (BioControl, 2026)

Characterization of a cypovirus isolate in Noctuoidea pests: host range, and stressor interactions - Alini de Almeida; Andrews Alexander Fredéric Monvosin Fisch; Luis Janssen; Leonardo Assis da Silva; Maria Cristina Neves de Oliveira; Daniel Mendes Pereira Ardisson-Araújo; Bergmann Morais Ribeiro; Daniel R. Sosa-Gómez (BioControl, 2026)

Non-contact effects of the parasitoid Sclerodermus guani on its two cerambycid host species - Yu-jun Kong; Yong-hao Nan; Hui-quan Sun; Ke Wei; Jian-rong Wei (BioControl, 2026)

Biological control of Fusarium fujikuroi, cause of bakanae disease of rice (Oryza sativa L.), using antagonistic bacteria - Istiaq Ahmed; Gareth J. Norton; Stephen Woodward (BioControl, 2026)

Trichoderma asperellum Tric 33 as a broad spectrum biopesticide against multiple diseases of tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) - R. D. S. M. Gamlath; K. L. S. C. Gunawardana; D. G. N. P. Karunajeewa; N. Mahadevan; P. D. Senanayake; S. Rajapakse; G. D. Sinniah (BioControl, 2026)

Evaluation of talc-based formulation of native Beauveria bassiana for control of polyphagous and sucking pests of cotton and yield improvement - Shah Mohammad Naimul Islam; Md. Zahid Hasan Chowdhury; Md. Ashraful Haque; Milia Bente Momtaz; Razia Sultana (BioControl, 2026)

Organic management of cherry orchards favours most natural enemies and some phytophages - Manuel González-Núñez; César Paúl; Helen Mamani; Cristina Elvira Fernández; Ismael Sánchez-Ramos (BioControl, 2026)
Arthropods were sampled in organic and conventional cherry orchards over two growing seasons using pitfall traps, yellow sticky traps, and branch shaking. The data obtained from both production systems were compared using linear mixed effects models and principal response curves (PRCs). The diversity of families and the total abundance of arthropods captured by the three sampling methods were significantly greater in the organic orchards. Phytophagous and predatory arthropods in cherry tree canopies, soil-dwelling predators and parasitoids captured in yellow sticky traps were significantly more abundant in organic orchards. Although no significant differences in the total abundance of Coccinellidae between crop managements were recorded, species richness and abundance, excluding that of Stethorus pusillus (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), were significantly greater in the organic plots. According to the PRC analyses, the taxa most favoured by organic management were the predatory families Anthocoridae, Lycosidae, Staphylinidae, Gnaphosidae, Philodromidae, Hybotidae, Nabidae, Carabidae and Thomisidae; the parasitoids belonging to Pteromalidae, Mymaridae, Braconidae, Bethylidae, Platygastridae and Aphelinidae; and the phytophagous Monosteira unicostata (Mulsant & Rey) (Hemiptera: Tingidae) (poplar lace bug) and aphids. The predatory coccinellid species most favoured by organic cropping were Adalia decempunctata (L.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Adalia bipunctata (L.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Scymnus interruptus (Goeze) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). In contrast, some groups of arthropods were more abundant in conventionally managed orchards, among which spider mites and their predatory species S. pusillus (Herbst) stood out. Therefore, this study revealed a great benefit of organic cherry cultivation for most groups of predators and parasitoids although some phytophagous species were also favoured.

Biocontrol of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum and plant growth promotion in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) by Bacillus spp. - Kássio de Marco; William Pietro-Souza (BioControl, 2026)
White mold, caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum , is one of the most important diseases affecting common bean crops. Due to its global distribution and wide host range, the persistence of S. sclerotiorum in the environment is favored by the formation of survival structures, which complicates control measures. In this context, biological control emerges as a sustainable strategy for pathogen suppression and plant growth promotion. To explore this approach, nine strains of Bacillus spp. were screened for their ability to control S. sclerotiorum strain SSF and promote growth of common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plants. All strains exhibited antagonistic activity against S. sclerotiorum strain SSF, demonstrated through in vitro antagonism assays, including dual culture and cell-free supernatant (CFS) tests, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) exposure, indicating the involvement of multiple antagonistic mechanisms. In addition, the strains displayed key in vitro biocontrol traits, such as the production of cell wall–degrading enzymes and siderophores. Greenhouse trials confirmed the efficacy of selected strains in controlling white mold and promoting bean plant growth. Isolates EVSA, BERA II, and BEFA I stood out by enabling the survival of plants inoculated with S. sclerotiorum while not impairing seed germination. Both bacterial co-inoculation (EVSA, BERA II, and BEFA I) and the EVSA strain alone promoted shoot and root development in bean plants. EVSA demonstrated multifunctional activity, combining effective suppression of S. sclerotiorum strain SSF with plant growth promotion, positioning it as a promising candidate for bioinoculant development in the sustainable management of white mold.

The critical role of temperature in ensuring reliable protective efficacy of a biocontrol agent targeting Sclerotinia sclerotiorum - M. Grimonpont; E. Turc; A. Lies; N. Monnier; P. C. Nicot; M. Bardin (BioControl, 2026)

Rachiplusia nu (Guenée) with field-evolved resistance to Bt soybean is susceptible to Bt-based biopesticides - Daniela Neves Godoy; Arthur Dallanora; Venicius Ernesto Pretto; Ramon Braida Palharini; Zanandra Zanini Tamiosso; Luiz Francisco Warpechowski; Oderlei Bernardi (BioControl, 2026)
Field-evolved resistance to the soybean event MON 87701 × MON 89788, which expresses the Cry1Ac toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis ( Bt ), was reported in Rachiplusia nu (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Brazil and Argentina. Given this scenario, diet-overlay bioassays were conducted to assess the susceptibility of Brazilian populations of R. nu to the Bt -based insecticides DiPel WP and XenTari WG and to investigate potential cross-resistance with Cry1Ac using a laboratory-selected R. nu strain. Additionally, leaf bioassays were used to test the efficacy of field doses of these biopesticides against field-collected populations and laboratory-selected strains of R. nu. The LC 50 values of DiPel WP and XenTari WG for field populations of R. nu ranged from 0.03 to 0.09 and 0.46–0.60 μg active ingredient cm –2 of diet, respectively, representing resistance ratios ≤ 4.0-fold relative to a susceptible population. The Cry1Ac-resistant, Cry1Ac-susceptible and F 1 progeny of reciprocal crosses (heterozygotes) showed relatively similar susceptibility to DiPel WP and XenTari WG (resistance ratios ≤ 5.3-fold), indicating low but detectable cross resistance . Leaf bioassays demonstrated that field doses of DiPel WP and XenTari WG caused > 95% mortality in all populations and strains. These results indicate that Brazilian populations of R. nu remain susceptible to DiPel WP and XenTari WG, even after the evolution of resistance to Cry1Ac soybean and highlight these products as effective tools for controlling this polyphagous pest.

Compensatory feeding by lady beetles: enhanced biocontrol potential of Harmonia axyridis against caterpillars in salinity-affected agro-ecosystems - Sahil Pawar; Rorri Mueller; Bijay Subedi; Mahendra Pawar; Monica Kersch-Becker; Sara Hermann; Michelle Peiffer; Jared Ali; Gary W. Felton (BioControl, 2026)
The increasing salinization of agricultural land is a pressing problem, altering how plants interact with organisms across multiple trophic levels. While salinity-induced changes in plant chemistry are known to affect insect herbivores, it remains unclear how these changes shape predator responses. Here, we examined how prey quality (tomato fruitworm caterpillars— Helicoverpa zea ), shaped by soil salinity influences the foraging and consumptive behavior of the generalist predatory Asian lady beetle ( Harmonia axyridis ). We tested how salt stress in host plants (tomato – Solanum lycopersicum ) and "salty" H. zea caterpillars as prey shape predator attraction, feeding dynamics, and survival. Caterpillars reared on salt-treated artificial diets showed reduced protein content and slower growth. Despite this potentially lower prey quality, H. axyridis consumed more of the “salty” prey than the “non-salty” prey, suggesting a compensatory feeding response. Petri dish dual-choice assays showed no consistent preference for prey type during initial behavioral stages (touch, bite, consumption), but total intake was significantly higher for the “salty” caterpillars. In Y-tube olfactometer choice assays, predators were equally attracted to non salt-stressed and salt-stressed plants, indicating that salinity did not disrupt olfactory cue-mediated predator recruitment. Together, these results suggest that H. axyridis may adjust its feeding behavior to compensate for likely reduced prey quality and enhance biocontrol potential in salinity-affected systems.

Biocontrol characteristics and management potential of Paenibacillus polymyxa A818 against Fusarium head blight in wheat - Huijuan Peng; Yihua Liao; Tian Yang; Chao Liu; Xin Liu; Dongfang Ma; Chengcheng Li; Yujun Xing (BioControl, 2026)

The ability of predatory mites to cope with the woven nests of exotic bamboo spider mites - Naoki Matsumoto; Peter Schausberger; Yukie Sato (BioControl, 2026)

Harnessing rice endophytes for sustainable biocontrol of false smut fungus Ustilaginoidea virens (Cooke) Takahashi - Mathew Seikholen Baite; Letngam Touthang; Prabhukarthikeyan Seenichamy Rathinam; Raghu Shivappa; Keerthana Umapathy; Ch. Jamkhokai Mate (BioControl, 2026)

Evaluation of the banker plant system for an omnivorous mirid predator Nesidiocoris tenuis to control the whitefly Bemisia tabaci in greenhouses using numerical simulations - Yusuke Ikegawa; Eizi Yano (BioControl, 2026)

Fungal treatments do not compromise survival or fecundity of the pest, Anthonomus eugenii (Coleoptera: Curculionidae): implications for pest management - Jesús Ernesto Guerra-Sánchez; Esteban Rodríguez-Leyva; Manuel Alejandro Tejeda-Reyes; Ariel Wilbert Guzmán-Franco (BioControl, 2026)

Correction: Insecticidal activity of a Pseudomonas sp. isolated from cabbage root fly (Delia radicum L.) larvae exposed to D. radicum-suppressive soil - Max Wantulla; Marcel Dicke; Joop J. A. van Loon (BioControl, 2026)

Trichoderma inoculation alters the performance of Myzus persicae and enhances growth in Brassica rapa - Bilal Ahmad; Aleena Alam; Sohail Abbas; Yuexuan Li; Khalid Ali Khan; Hamed A. Ghramh; Jamin Ali; Qiyun Li; Rizhao Chen (BioControl, 2026)

RNAi-mediated suppression of OfRelish enhances the efficacy of entomopathogenic bacteria against Odontotermes formosanus (Blattodea: Termitidae) - Xinyi Tang; Kai Feng; Fang Tang (BioControl, 2026)

Environmental exposure alters the nutritional quality of honeydew for a parasitoid - Maite Fernández de Bobadilla; Anabel Millán-Leiva; Emanuele Porcu; Francesco Giovanni Filippello; Alejandro Tena (BioControl, 2026)

Revitalizing the lentil crop by use of a native Trichoderma sp. for Fusarium wilt and collar rot disease management and plant growth promotion - Sangam Choudhury; Sunita Mahapatra; Sunanda Chakraborty; Arup Sen; Sk. Hasibul Alam; Anubhab Hooi; B. Teja Bhushan (BioControl, 2026)

Tamarixia citricola Hansson and Guerrieri sp. nov. (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae): a new parasitoid of Diaphorina citri Kuwayamava (Hemiptera: Psyllidae) found during a classical biological control program in Cyprus - Alberto Urbaneja; Meritxell Pérez-Hedo; Nicos Seraphides; Anthemis Melifronidou-Pantelidou; Stalo Giallouridou; Lia Markou; Menelaos C. Stavrinides; Chrysos Kaponas; Omar Ruíz-Rivero; David J. W. Morgan; Christer Hansson; Mark S. Hoddle; et al. (BioControl, 2026)
Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri , is a major global pest because it is the primary vector of Candidatus Liberibacter spp., the causal agents of huanglongbing (HLB), a lethal citrus disease. Following the detection of D. citri in Cyprus in 2023, the first record of this pest in the European Union, a classical biological control program targeting this pest was initiated in spring 2024 using the parasitoid Tamarixia radiata imported from California, USA. During field surveys in summer 2024, parasitized D. citri nymphs were found both in release and non-release orchards. T. radiata was recovered from release sites, confirming its establishment. In contrast, parasitism in non-release orchards suggested the presence of native or unintentionally introduced parasitoids, or a rapid spread of T. radiata into new areas. To determine the identity of parasitoids associated with D. citri in Cyprus, an integrative approach was adopted combining field observations, molecular analyses of the COI gene, and morphological analyses. T. radiata recovered from Cyprus field sites matched reference sequences of parasitoids from California. However, other specimens were genetically and morphologically distinct and represented a new species. The new species is described here as Tamarixia citricola Hansson and Guerrieri sp. nov. Taxonomic diagnoses and characters for separating both Tamarixia species associated with D. citri are provided. Results presented here indicate the coexistence of both T. radiata (introduced) and T. citricola (likely autochthonous) in Cyprus citrus orchards. This finding has important implications for future biological control strategies and quarantine measures for D. citri in the Mediterranean basin.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of indigenous entomopathogenic fungi for controlling chilli thrips (Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood) in blueberry under greenhouse conditions - Hsin-Yu Lin; Yi-Ju Chen; Kusum Mushyakhwo; Chin-Mu Chen; Yu-Shin Nai (BioControl, 2026)

Insecticidal activity of a Pseudomonas sp. isolated from cabbage root fly (Delia radicum L.) larvae exposed to D. radicum-suppressive soil - Max Wantulla; Marcel Dicke; Joop J. A. van Loon (BioControl, 2026)

Limited establishment from widespread releases of the knotweed psyllid Aphalara itadori, a biological control agent for knotweeds in the USA - Fritzi S. Grevstad; Jeremy C. Andersen; Nancy C. Oderkirk; Jennifer Andreas; Lisa Tewksbury; Cynthia Detweiler; Joel Price; Bernd Blossey; Richard Reardon (BioControl, 2026)

Paraburkholderia oxyphila: a novel bacterial biocontrol species against the fungal plant pathogen Botrytis cinerea - Eudokia Kalfa; Eirini G. Poulaki; Vasilis Dimitrakas; Anastasia Venieraki; Sotirios E. Tjamos (BioControl, 2026)

Crimson clover improves biological control of Halyomorpha halys (Stål) by native stink bug egg parasitoids in pecan orchards - Emily B. Myers; P. Glynn Tillman; Ted E. Cottrell; Erin E. Grabarczyk (BioControl, 2026)

Biocontrol enemies have stronger effects than non-biocontrol enemies on insect prey - Peter Stiling; Marc J. Lajeunesse (BioControl, 2026)

Biocontrol potential of stem blight in macadamia by Bacillus spp. in plantlets with different scion-rootstock combinations - Marcos Giovane Pedroza de Abreu; Luana Laurindo de Melo; Vanessa Rafaela de Carvalho; Leonardo Massaharu Moriya; Bernardo de Almeida Halfeld-Vieira (BioControl, 2026)

Predation risks alter lysozyme levels and grooming behavior in Bactrocera dorsalis to affect entomopathogen success - Lu Xiao; Xianli Lu; Fengqin Cao; Xin Liu; Xingyu Geng; Lang Fu; Jian Wen (BioControl, 2026)

The ethics of using biocontrol: understanding public perceptions of, and attitudes towards, biocontrol in principle and dung beetles in particular - Bethaney Turner; Airong Zhang; Christina Maxwell; Valerie Caron (BioControl, 2026)
Biocontrol can be an effective tool in managing unwanted species and for environmental management. In-depth understanding of public perceptions and attitudes of biocontrol is critical to securing constructive public engagement in biocontrol initiatives. This study used mixed methods survey research with 155 Australian participants to identify key drivers of attitudes and perceptions and their associated impacts on acceptance of biocontrol. In addition, the study assesses if there were differences between public perceptions of, and attitudes towards, biocontrol in principle and the specific case of dung beetles introduced into Australia to mitigate issues arising from dung accumulation. The results indicate that while participants believe dung beetles are safer and more effective than biocontrol in principle, they consider them less necessary. Identification of biocontrol as an ethical approach to environmental management was the only shared driver of acceptance and positive attitude towards both biocontrol in general and dung beetles in particular. Positive perceptions of dung beetles were also motivated by identifying them as effective and useful. On the other hand, acceptance of biocontrol in principle was also driven by the perception that introducing an agent would pose limited threats to biodiversity, higher confidence in governance, and respondents being older. This study identifies the need for further research exploring the ethical positions of diverse publics to strengthen understanding of the factors driving acceptance or rejection of biocontrol in specific contexts. We conclude that a more nuanced and detailed approach to ethics could improve communication strategies, strengthen public-science trust and enhance scientific practices and outcomes.

Effects of an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on some biological characteristics of Myzus persicae (Sulzer) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) - Gizem Berber Tortop; Hülya Özgönen Özkaya; Ali Kemal Birgücü (BioControl, 2026)

Biocontrol potential of beauvericin produced in a submerged culture of Beauveria bassiana 331R against cotton aphid Aphis gossypii - Jong-Cheol Kim; In Min Hwang; Ho Myeong Kim; Seulbi Kim; Hyunbok Song; Seulki Kim; Tae Young Shin; Taek Su Shin; Soo‑Dong Woo; Hae Woong Park (BioControl, 2026)

Isolation of Leptolegnia chapmanii, an entomopathogenic oomycete, from Misiones, Argentina: a promising tool for vector mosquito control - Manuel E. Rueda-Páramo; Christina Schuster; Dario Balcazar; Flavia V. Diez del Valle; Alejandra C. Gutierrez; Anna Heitmann; Oscar D. Salomon; Andreas Leclerque (BioControl, 2026)

Synergistic effects of nucleopolyhedroviruses on larvicidal activity against Spodoptera litura and Helicoverpa armigera - Zihan Shi; Jing Li; Can Wang; Shaolong Wu; Wei-ai Zeng; Shiping Jia; Yusheng Wang; Yansong Xiao; Mi Li; Lin Tan (BioControl, 2026)

Haunted by cane toads—An exploratory survey of public attitudes and knowledge about classical biological control - Chris Looney; Jennifer Andreas; Shannon M. Donovan (BioControl, 2026)

Parasitoid releases to manage Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni, in southeastern Australia - Lucy K. R. McLay; Joanne C. Dawson; J. Paul Cunningham (BioControl, 2026)
Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni (Froggatt) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is Australia’s most economically important horticultural pest. Its range has expanded from its ancestral habitat in rainforests of northeastern Australia into southeastern Australia, and commercial crops. Biocontrol using parasitoid wasps has considerable potential in assisting the area-wide management of B. tryoni in southeastern Australia where they are largely absent. We mass-reared and released two species of parasitoid wasp, Fopius arisanus (Sonan) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) and Diachasmimorpha kraussii (Fullaway) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), at six locations in southeastern Australia where they were previously absent. Parasitoid persistence and establishment were monitored over three growing seasons through field collection of B. tryoni infested fruit. Both species parasitised B. tryoni in the field and persisted at the release sites within season. Parasitism rates were up to 63% for D. kraussii and 38% for F. arisanus . D. kraussii were recovered at two of four monitored sites a year after the last releases, indicating the potential of this species to establish in southeastern Australia. In a second study we performed choice and no-choice laboratory experiments to determine if either parasitoid species could target and parasitise the tephritid, Urophora stylata (F.) (Diptera: Tephritidae), which is an established classical biocontrol agent for weed thistles. We found no evidence that either parasitoid can parasitise U. stylata . Our studies indicate that F. arisanus and D. kraussii have potential as biocontrol agents as part of integrated pest management and area-wide management for B. tryoni in southern Australia, with D. kraussii as the more promising candidate.

Antagonistic activity and genomic insights of leaf-endophytic bacteria as biocontrol agents against major Brassica pathogens - Micaela Ester Stieben; Franco Rubén Rossi; Leandro Solmi; Andrés Gárriz; Oscar Adolfo Ruiz; Fernando Matías Romero (BioControl, 2026)

An indigenous Metarhizium sp. strain amended in compost enhances sweetpotato growing system and management of Cylas formicarius (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) - Landon Gee Keong Wong; Koon-Hui Wang; Roxana Myers; Brent S. Sipes (BioControl, 2026)

Correction to: Together again: the invasive mustard Hesperis matronalis suffers devastating seed predation by a recently adventive specialist weevil - David J. Ensing; Tyler D. Nelson; Chandra E. Moffat; Lauryn Joslin; Lucas Eckert; Marlene M. Kraml; Christopher G. Eckert (BioControl, 2025)

Bee-friendly approach to strawberry grey mould biocontrol with the yeast Papiliotrema terrestris PT22AV - Davide Palmieri; Giuseppe Ianiri; Vittorio Capano; Filippo De Curtis; Raffaello Castoria; Giuseppe Lima; Manuel Roppo Valente; Piotr Medrzycki (BioControl, 2025)

Control of post-harvest soft rot (Rhizopus stolonifer) on sweet cherry using volatile organic compounds produced by Bacillus velezensis Q-84 - Jian-Yu Wang; Min-Xin Mao; Chun-Yan Xu; Man Zou; Wen-Ting Bao; Yi-Ning Zhou; Shun-Qing Hu; Ke-Xin Jiao; Qing-Kun Lu; Peng Zhao; Kun-Peng Zhang; Yi-Lun Chen; et al. (BioControl, 2025)

Antifungal potential of endophytic bacteria from lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) against Fusarium culmorum and Neoscytalidium dimidiatum under greenhouse conditions - İnci Güler Güney; Mehmet Ata Keske (BioControl, 2025)

A predatory mite as potential biological control agent of the invasive Thrips parvispinus - J. Alexandra Sierra-Monroy; Jacques A. Deere; Karen A. Muñoz Cárdenas; Marta Montserrat; Arne Janssen (BioControl, 2025)
Thrips are one of the most damaging and economically costly pests in agricultural crops. Thrips parvispinus is an invasive species which has recently spread across Europe. It is a polyphagous pest that infests both vegetable and ornamental crops. At present, the use of biological control against T. parvispinus is at its infancy. Here, we tested the potential of predatory mites as biocontrol agents of T. parvispinus . We evaluated the predation and oviposition rates of two predatory mites, Amblyseius swirskii (Athias-Henriot) and Euseius degenerans (Berlese), when offered first instar larvae of T. parvispinus and found that predation and oviposition rates of A. swirskii were higher than those of E. degenerans . Furthermore, A. swirskii had a higher juvenile survival and developmental rate when provided with pollen or a diet of pollen with thrips larvae than when provided with a diet of thrips larvae alone. A small-scale greenhouse population experiment on isolated sweet pepper plants showed that A. swirskii effectively controlled T. parvispinus , both with and without the supply of pollen as alternative food for the predators. Our results confirm that releasing A. swirskii before pest invasion can efficiently control T. parvispinus populations on sweet pepper.

Biological control of the sugarcane planthopper, Pyrilla perpusilla by the introduction and colonization of ectoparasitoid moth, Epiricania (= Fulgoraecia) melanoleuca in a sugarcane crop island ecosystem - B. Mahendran; P. Mahesh; R. Gopi; T. N. Madhu; S. K. Pandey; M. Nisha; Keerthana; Sony Jayaraman; Savio Jacob Saji (BioControl, 2025)

Together again: the invasive mustard Hesperis matronalis suffers devastating seed predation by a recently adventive specialist weevil - David J. Ensing; Tyler D. Nelson; Chandra E. Moffat; Lauryn Joslin; Lucas Eckert; Marlene M. Kraml; Christopher G. Eckert (BioControl, 2025)
The enemy release hypothesis underpins classical (or importation) biocontrol as a management technique for invasive species. Classical biocontrol has had resounding success when prospective control agents have been subject to appropriate screening before release. Occasionally, however, natural enemies have been reunited with their hosts accidentally. Such adventive agents may provide effective control but have also avoided the careful screening characteristic of modern importation biocontrol programmes. We were studying the invasive mustard, Hesperis matronalis L. (Dame’s rocket; Brassicaceae: Hesperidae), when we discovered rampant seed predation by an unknown seed predator. Using DNA barcoding, we identified this seed predator as Ceutorhynchus inaffectatus Gyllenhal (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), a recently (2018) detected species in North America. Comparing potential and realised seed production, we found that seed predation by C. inaffectatus strongly reduces H. matronalis fecundity, and that this effect was not moderated by infection with turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), a commercially important pathogen hosted by H. matronalis and transmitted by polyphagous aphid species. C. inaffectatus is expected to be highly host-specific, and the absence of native Hesperidae species in North America suggests the potential for C. inaffectatus as a classical, but adventive, biocontrol agent of H. matronalis . We suggest population genetic research to identify the origin of C. inaffectatus , and host specificity testing before any intentional redistribution of this species for H. matronalis biocontrol. More generally, this system acts as a model for biocontrol prospects with adventive insect herbivore species.

Beauty to last: bacillus spp. enhance durability and reduce post-harvest rot by botrytis cinerea in cut roses - Neílton Antônio Fiusa Araújo; Victor Hugo Buttrós; Drucylla Guerra Mattos; Vytoria Piscitelli Cavalcanti; Eduardo Alves; Moacir Pasqual; Rosane Freitas Schwan; Itamar Soares de Melo; Joyce Dória (BioControl, 2025)

Using pre-release efficacy as a candidate agent prioritisation tool for the weed Trichocereus spachianus (Caryophyllales: Cactaceae) - T. C. Griffith; M. B. Aguirre; G. F. Sutton; L. Chari; I. D. Paterson (BioControl, 2025)
Pre-release efficacy assessments (PREA) can be used to prioritise the most damaging candidate agents for further studies in biological control programmes against invasive alien plants. This study assessed the efficacy of various potential enemies of Trichocereus spachianus (Riccob.) (Caryophyllales: Cactaceae), an invasive cactus in South Africa, in order to prioritise the most damaging candidates for further studies, including host specificity testing. T. spachianus is considered indigenous in Argentina and Bolivia, but the original description was based on a cultivated plant, and it is either very rare or absent in its indigenous range, with no verified records of natural populations. This necessitates the use of new associations collected off close relatives of the target plant as potential biocontrol agents. We evaluated eight potential biocontrol agents by deriving host suitability indices (HSI) and performing efficacy trials. The HSI analysis demonstrated that only one out of the eight candidate agents, a cochineal insect Dactylopius confertus De Lotto (Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae), had high fitness (high survival, fecundity and complete development) on T. spachianus . This helped us eliminate ineffective agents early on in the programme. The cochineal insect was prioritised for efficacy trials, which demonstrated its high potential efficacy, killing approximately 89% of T. spachianus plants over 60 weeks. Taken together, our results indicated that D. confertus is a highly promising potential agent for the biocontrol of T. spachianus in South Africa. By prioritising candidate biocontrol agents based on efficacy prior to host specificity testing, we ensured that the highest priority candidate agent was identified for detailed and resource-intensive host specificity testing.

Intercropping with flowering crops to improve the arthropod community of the pecan (Carya illinoinensis) canopy - Yingjie Luo; Hao Gao; Jin Huang; Bin Wang (BioControl, 2025)

Influence of refuge availability on the oviposition strategy of anachoretic and non-anachoretic aphidophagous ladybirds - António Onofre Soares; Marta Vale; Isabel Borges; Eric Lucas (BioControl, 2025)
Scymnus nubilus Mulsant and Coccinella undecimpunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) are two generalist aphidophagous predators abundant in herbaceous habitats. C. undecimpuctata , a larger species, lays its eggs in uncovered clusters, whereas S. nubilus , a tiny species , lays its eggs singly and, possibly, in concealed sites. Reproductive strategies in ladybirds seem to be adaptive, allowing the co-occurrence of both predators, apparently without interfering with each other. The aim of this study was to characterize the following oviposition strategies in S. nubilus and C. undecimpunctata : daily fecundity, effect of available sites on females’ fecundity, and circadian rhythmicity of oviposition. We hypothesize that the single-egg-laying strategist (1) is more dependent on the availability of concealed sites to oviposit and (2) lays eggs closer to aphid colonies. We found that different levels of site concealability allows S. nubilus to increase fecundity. Contrary to C. undecimpunctata , in the absence of a suitable substrate to conceal its eggs, S. nubilus females refrain ovipositing. S. nubilus prefers to hide their eggs beneath prey carcasses while C. undecimpunctata is less selective concerning the oviposition sites. S. nubilus dilutes its fecundity effort through more oviposition sites and events, while C. undecimpunctata requires one event to lay its clusters. Our results showed that the smaller ladybird is more dependent than the larger one on habitat structural complexity to maximize its fitness and that laying a single hidden egg mainly during the scotophase confers a potential adaptive advantage to increase fitness.

Established Paropsis charybdis egg parasitoids are unlikely to control the newly invaded Paropsisterna cloelia (both Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in New Zealand - Carolin Weser; Mike A. Davy; Elena Moltchanova; Stephen M. Pawson; Toni M. Withers (BioControl, 2025)
The two egg parasitoids Enoggera nassaui (Girault) and Neopolycystus insectifurax Girault (both Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) are biological control agents of the eucalyptus-defoliating paropsine leaf beetle Paropsis charybdis Stål (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), an invasive species in New Zealand. Recently another leaf beetle, Paropsisterna cloelia (Stål) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), has established in New Zealand, causing defoliation on select eucalypt hosts, e.g., Eucalyptus bosistoana . To determine if established egg parasitoids can control Pst. cloelia , the host suitability and host preferences of the two parasitoids were tested under laboratory conditions and compared with in-field egg parasitism at a site where all parasitoid and beetle species were present. Laboratory and field assessments confirmed that both parasitoids can reproduce in P. charybdis and Pst. cloelia but have a strong preference for P. charybdis . Consequently, probabilities of unparasitized Pst. cloelia larvae hatching in the laboratory or field in the presence of either parasitoid was higher compared to P. charybdis , ranging between 32-79% versus 1-24%, respectively . Offspring of both parasitoids emerged 36% larger (wing length 1.40 mm versus 1.06 mm and 1.56 mm versus 1.07 mm for E. nassaui and N. insectifurax, respectively) from P. charybdis eggs versus Pst. cloelia eggs, confirming Pst. cloelia eggs as lower quality hosts for these parasitoids. We conclude that E. nassaui and N. insectifurax will not induce sufficient mortality in Pst. cloelia eggs to be effective biological control agents for this invasive beetle.

An iolinid predatory mite feeds on powdery mildew - Caio Henrique Binda de Assis; Angelo Pallini; Ítalo Marcossi; Gabriel Modesto Beghelli; Rafael Stempniaki Iasczczaki; Gabriel Pio; Madelaine Venzon; Raf De Vis; Arne Janssen (BioControl, 2025)
Despite reports of arthropods successfully controlling plant diseases, this strategy is still underexplored in biological disease management. Iolinids are omnivorous predatory mites that occur naturally on tomato plants and are one of the most promising natural enemies for control of the tomato pest Aculops lycopersici (Acari: Eriophyidae). They also feed on fungi and have been demonstrated to control powdery mildew infections caused by Oidium sp. on tomato plants. However, it remains elusive how these predators control this disease and we therefore explored the mechanisms involved in this process. We show that powdery mildew is a suitable food source for Quasihomeopronematus nordestinus (Acari: Iolinidae), which can develop, survive and reproduce when feeding on it, much like on pollen, another excellent food source for the iolinid. Feeding on leaf tissue appeared to be obligatory for this predator, but did not allow for juvenile development and reproduction. Our findings indicate that consumption of the fungus is one of the mechanisms by which this iolinid mite suppresses powdery mildew infections in tomato plants.

The invasive hornet Vespa velutina nigrithorax is more susceptible to an entomopathogenic fungus than two other hymenopteran species, the wasp Vespula vulgaris and the bumblebee Bombus terrestris - Mathilde Lacombrade; Naïs Rocher; Blandine Mahot-Castaing; Fanny Vogelweith; Mathieu Lihoreau; Denis Thiéry (BioControl, 2025)

Molecular gut content analysis reveals predator feeding preferences and potential for biological control of aphids in sugar beet fields - Nika Jachowicz; Stine Kramer Jacobsen; Lene Sigsgaard (BioControl, 2025)
Aphis fabae Scopoli and Myzus persicae Sulzer (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are economically important pests of sugar beet. Natural enemies have potential for pest regulation. However their contribution to the control of the two sugar beet aphids is poorly understood. To elucidate the trophic relationships, we selected three aphid predators for molecular gut content analysis: two generalists Cantharis lateralis L. (Coleoptera: Cantharidae) and Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), and the specialist Chrysoperla carnea Stephens (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) larvae. The first two species were chosen for their abundance, the latter for its role as a specialist aphid predator. Predators were collected in sugar beet fields, and qPCR was used to detect A. fabae and M. persicae remains in their gut. The DNA half-life detectability was assessed in a feeding assay and was found to be between 8 h and 33 h for the three predators. In the field, the most abundant aphid was A. fabae , with densities of over 14 aphids per plant, while M. persicae densities were over 100 times lower. In total 75% of the predators tested positive for A. fabae DNA. Despite the low densities of M. persicae in the field, 28% of the predators tested positive for this aphid species, indicating a preference for M. persicae . Based on the findings of the gut content analysis and predator densities, we assessed the total predation potential of three of the predators for the two years studied. We found that generalist predators contributed to 93% of the total predation for A. fabae , while the specialist predator C. carnea played more of a role in the predation of M. persicae , where it accounted for 23% of the total predation. While A. fabae densities exceeded predator capacity, M. persicae densities remained below total predation potential. These findings suggest that the three predators contribute to aphid control in sugar beet and help prevent outbreaks of M. persicae , a particularly serious pest.

Exploring interactions between fungal pathogens and Musca domestica in relation to altered life history traits and enzymatic response - Muzammil Farooq; Shoaib Freed (BioControl, 2025)

Improved techniques for monitoring Dolichogenidea gelechiidivoris (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), an endoparasitoid of Tuta absoluta, in tomato fields - Pablo Urbaneja-Bernat; Marc Vila-Sala; Judit Arnó; Jordi Riudavets (BioControl, 2025)
The tomato leafminer Tuta absoluta is a major pest threatening global tomato production, particularly in the Mediterranean basin. Biological control strategies using predators and parasitoids, such as the braconid parasitoid , Dolichogenidea gelechiidivoris , have been developed, yet efficient field sampling methods for D. gelechiidivoris are lacking. This study evaluates improved monitoring techniques, including yellow sticky traps (YSTs) and laboratory-based detection methods, to enhance parasitoid assessment. Field trials in commercial tomato greenhouses revealed no significant correlation between parasitoid captures on YSTs and actual parasitism rates, limiting their reliability for decision-making in IPM. In contrast, two laboratory techniques—sodium hypochlorite and sodium chloride dissections—significantly improved detection efficiency (~ 83%) compared to conventional methods based on adult emergence from tomato leaflets galleries collected from the field (~ 45%). Additionally, these techniques reduced detection time from 2-3 weeks to a few hours, providing a rapid and accurate identification of parasitized larvae. Thermal treatment and lactic acid methods showed limited effectiveness, with lactic acid completely failing at early parasitism stages and thermal treatment unable to distinguish parasitized larvae. These findings highlight the importance of optimized sampling techniques to enhance T. absoluta IPM strategies and underscore the limitations of YSTs for parasitoid monitoring. The proposed dissection-based methodologies represent a major advancement, facilitating timely decision-making in biological control strategies. Moreover, these methods contribute to the conservation of D. gelechiidivoris by improving detection accuracy and enabling targeted parasitoid management in tomato crops.

Biocontrol of the black-spot disease pathogen (Alternaria alternata) in Dioscorea opposita by native endophytic bacterium Bacillus sp. E-Do8 - Chaochuang Li; Longlong Ma; Houmin Wang; Shunpeng Li; Ruifei Wang; Hao Zhang; Mingjun Li; Qingxiang Yang (BioControl, 2025)

Endosymbionts impact ladybird predation rates of aphids in a temperature-dependent manner - Katrine Bitsch; Perran A. Ross; Alex Gill; Qiong Yang; Monica Stelmach; Ashley G. Callahan; Michael Ørsted; Ary A. Hoffmann; Torsten N. Kristensen (BioControl, 2025)
Aphids are pests that cause major economic losses to growers on a global scale. Current management strategies rely heavily on pesticides, but some effective pesticides are being withdrawn, and the efficiency of remaining pesticides is decreasing, as aphids build up resistance. Biological control using predators can provide an important sustainable alternative to pesticides under some circumstances, and the deliberate introduction of facultative bacterial endosymbionts that induce host fitness costs and reduce plant virus transmission has been suggested as another strategy to combat aphid damage. However, new control options should not be antagonistic, and there might be a concern that the effectiveness of biocontrol can be altered/reduced by endosymbiont presence in hosts. We therefore tested if predation by two ladybirds, Adalia bipunctata and Harmonia conformis , on green peach aphid, Myzus persicae, and oat aphid, Rhopalosiphum padi , was affected by transinfected Rickettsiella viridis and Regiella insecticola endosymbionts and we used different temperatures to assess if any effects depended on temperature. The predation rate (defined as the time it takes for ladybirds to capture and eat the aphids) of aphids infected by either endosymbiont was higher at 14 °C compared to the rate at which uninfected aphids of both species were eaten. The opposite pattern was seen for both aphid species at 20 °C and for one host-endosymbiont combination at 26 °C. Aphids were eaten faster at 26 °C compared to at the lower temperatures, while differences in predation rates between 14 °C and 20 °C depended on species. Another important outcome of our study was that transmission of endosymbionts from aphids to ladybirds did not occur. Our findings reveal a highly temperature-dependent effect of the investigated endosymbionts on ladybird predation rates on aphids. The temperature dependence of endosymbiont-predation interactions suggests that seasonal climatic variation should be considered when assessing the impact of endosymbionts in settings where biological control is important.

Biological and molecular characterization of Spodoptera littoralis granulovirus with insecticidal activity against the cotton leafworm, Spodoptera littoralis (Boisd.) - Wael Elmenofy; Norhan Yasser; Lamis Gomaa; Hossam S. El-Beltagi; Ahmed Mahmoud Ismail (BioControl, 2025)

Biocontrol Potential of Yeast-Produced Volatile Organic Compounds Against Aspergillus carbonarius: Affecting Fungal Growth, Ochratoxin Production and Gene Expression - Pitchapa Eamlaor; Chananwat Kortheerakul; Kitiporn Plaimas; Supat Chareonpornwattana; Panan Rerngsamran; Cheewanun Dachoupakan Sirisomboon (BioControl, 2025)

Potential of an entomopathogenic fungus from the Cladosporium cladosporioides species complex for aphid control: insights from biological parameters and bioassays - Carlos A. Silva; Liliana Godoy; Maria Isabel Ahumada; Mariajose Carvajal; Rodrigo A. Chorbadjian (BioControl, 2025)

Use of beneficial microorganisms in crop production: do current regulatory frameworks in the EU fit for purpose? - Jürgen Köhl (BioControl, 2025)
Microorganisms with beneficial traits for protection of plants against pest and diseases and for biostimulation of plants have been selected amongst the huge diversity of microorganisms naturally occurring in the environment. The use of microbial products has to be approved by governmental authorities before they can be applied in the EU. Frameworks of regulations have been developed with particular emphasis on risk assessments of the active substances and the formulated products. Distinctly different regulations are currently used for microbial plant protection products and microbial biostimulants. If the intended purpose of use results in different potential risks, a separation into different legal frameworks is adequate. This may be the case if distinct microbial groups used for different purposes differ in toxicity and pathogenicity. A separation may also be adequate if methods and rates of application or targeted environmental compartments differ resulting in different expected risks for humans, animals, plants or the environment. Also the exploitation of different modes of action may result in different levels of risks and urge different ways of risks assessments. Objective of this review is to stimulate discussion on the reasoning of the separated regulatory frameworks and contrasting risk assessments currently applied in the EU for beneficial microorganisms used for plant protection and used for biostimulation of plants.

Subterranean pupation: a refuge for non-target species from a prospective biological control agent of the avian vampire fly in Galapagos - Ismael E. Ramirez; Alyssa T. Gooding; Katherine A. Albán; Saúl J. Aguirre; Paolo Piedrahita; Charlotte E. Causton; George E. Heimpel (BioControl, 2025)
The invasive avian vampire fly, Philornis downsi (Diptera: Muscidae), poses a significant threat to Darwin's Finches and other endemic bird species in the Galapagos Islands, and the importation of specialized natural enemies is a promising strategy for its long-term control. The parasitoid Conura annulifera (Hymenoptera: Chalcididae) has received the most attention as a potential biological control agent thus far, including studies assessing its potential to attack non-target species. The potential native and endemic non-target species that are hypothetically most at risk from a release of C. annulifera are those closely related to P. downsi, which include carrion flies in the families Calliphoridae, Muscidae, and Sarcophagidae. In other parts of the world, many of the species that belong to these families pupate in the soil, and since C. annulifera is an obligate pupal parasitoid, we hypothesized that subterranean pupation would constitute a spatial refuge from parasitism, lessening the risk of non-target effects. We thus investigated the burrowing behavior of carrion flies that are endemic and native to Galapagos using introduced flies as surrogates when we could not locate related endemic or native species. We also evaluated the ability of C. annulifera to locate and attack underground puparia of these species. Our trials revealed that, of nine species of carrion fly species tested, eight exhibited subterranean pupation. This included the Galapagos endemic sarcophagids Sarothromyiops dasycnemis and Galopagomyia inoa . Notably, C. annulifera females did not exhibit burrowing behavior and thus were not able to locate or attack subterranean puparia. Our study suggests a low level of risk to endemic and native non-target fly species in Galapagos since many of these species are known to or are expected to pupate within the soil.

Trichoderma-enriched neem cake mitigates Fusarium wilt of chickpea (Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. ciceris) - Ziaul Haque; Sarwar Nawaz; Lavi Haidar; Mohd Shahid Anwar Ansari (BioControl, 2025)

Assessment of Zophobas morio (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) pupae in cold storage for mass rearing of the ectoparasitoid Dastarcus helophoroides (Coleoptera: Bothrideridae) - Mengjiao Han; Shaobo Wang; Ke Wei; Le Liu; Yingqiao Dang; Xiaoyi Wang (BioControl, 2025)

Endophytic Streptomyces sp. N2A protects soybean against fungal diseases through two distinct mechanisms - David L. Villafañe; Rodrigo A. Maldonado; Eduardo Rodríguez; María Amalia Chiesa (BioControl, 2025)

Controlling populations of the codling moth (Cydia pomonella): feasibility and efficacy of releasing two spider species (Cheiracanthium mildei and Clubiona leucaspis) in the winter - Sadeq Alzubik Belkair; Alain Pasquet; Yvan Capowiez; Hazem Dib (BioControl, 2025)

Exploiting antifungal metabolites of the fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum for effective control of Botrytis cinerea in chickpea plants - Carlos García-Latorre; Sara Rodrigo; Yasmina Marin-Felix; Marc Stadler; Oscar Santamaria (BioControl, 2025)
Endophytic fungi have garnered interest as biocontrol agents and plant growth promoters. In this study, we investigated the biocontrol potential of Purpureocillium lilacinum against Botrytis cinerea in chickpea seeds and plants. Molecular analysis confirmed the strain identity and its potential as a biocontrol agent was supported by inhibitory effects on B. cinerea growth and sporulation. In this sense, high-performance liquid chromatography tentatively identified three bioactive compounds in the P. lilacinum extract, suggesting mechanisms of antifungal activity. Notably, the extract mitigated the negative impact of B. cinerea on germination rates and seedling growth and demonstrated plant growth-promoting effects by enhancing germination rates and seedling growth of chickpea either in the absence or in the presence of the pathogen. Furthermore, the extract improved root length and number of roots in mature plants, indicating potential benefits for nutrient uptake and stress tolerance. Additionally, the extract exhibited antioxidant activity and enhanced nutrient mobilization, further supporting its role in plant health and productivity. Overall, this study highlights the multifaceted potential of the extract of P. lilacinum as a sustainable biocontrol agent and plant growth promoter.

Sown ground cover in pear orchards influences the abundance of key predators with variable results on pest control depending on the species - Juan Antonio Sanchez; David Cabanillas; Elena López-Gallego; Luis Gabriel Perera-Fernández (BioControl, 2025)
Enhancing ground cover vegetation may favour biological pest control. This research aimed to test the effect of cover management on the abundance of natural enemies and pest control in pear orchards. Two types of cover management (i.e., sown/mown cover) were tested in an organic pear orchard during three years in southern Spain. The cover and pear trees were sampled periodically between April and June to estimate the abundance of arthropods. The abundance of all the groups of natural enemies, including ants, spiders, predatory thrips, hemipterans and four families of parasitoids, as well as phytophagous insects such as aphids and psyllids, was significantly higher in the vegetation of the sown than in the mown cover. The sown cover was found to significantly reduce the abundance of aphids on pear trees, while it had a neutral effect on Cacopsylla pyri . This reduction in aphid numbers could be mainly attributed to the increase in the abundance of spiders and predatory mirids on the trees with the sown cover. In contrast, the sown cover was found to significantly reduce the abundance of the ant Lasius grandis on pear trees in relation to the mown cover. Overall, the management of the cover had a stronger effect on the assemblage of arthropods on the understory vegetation than on pear trees. The increase of the abundance of natural enemies on pear trees with the sown cover could have been due to their movement from the cover and/or the reduction of harassment due to the lower ant activity.

Predation efficacy of Neoseiulus bicaudus on a prey mixture of Frankliniella occidentalis and Tetranychus turkestani - An-Di Zhu; Xin-Qi Liang; Si-Qiong Tang; Jie Su; Jing Chen; Zhi-Ping Cai; Jian-Ping Zhang (BioControl, 2025)

Exploring the taxonomic status of the Palearctic cone weevil, Pissodes validirostris, inferred from morphometric and molecular data - Coralie Bertheau; Alain Roques; John Hoffmann; Kim Canavan; Grant Martin; Géraldine Roux (BioControl, 2025)
The Scots pine cone weevil, Pissodes validirostris Gyll. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) widely distributed from Europe, across to North-Eastern China, consumes the cones of Mediterranean pines, as well those of the sylvestris section. The use of multiple host pine species with limited and patchy distributions, combined with low dispersal rates, likely contributed to significant genetic and morphological variation among P. validirostris populations in its native range. P. validirostris is being considered as a biological control agent for wilding pines in the southern hemisphere and for this programme to proceed, elucidating its intraspecific variability is necessary. This study aimed to explore the phylogeography of P. validirostris in its native range in Europe using mitochondrial and nuclear genetic markers as well as morphological characters. The integrative taxonomic analysis revealed high genetic structuring in P. validirostris populations, identifying three main phylogeographic clades: Clade A (Iberian Peninsula, associated with Pinus pinaster and Pinus halepensis ), Clade B (Central Europe), and Clade C (Northern and Eastern Europe), both associated with Pinus species of the sylvestris section. The morphometric data showed that adults of the Iberic Peninsula clade were significantly larger than those of the two others. When compared to other Nearctic and Palearctic congeneric species, P. validirostris formed a monophyletic group, likely consisting of different evolutionary lineages within the sampled distribution. The findings highlight the necessity of genetic confirmation for insect taxonomy across wide distributions or multiple host trees. Clarifying whether host specificity or geography drives P. validirostris population structuring will facilitate the selection of a specific clade for wilding pine biological control.

Biocontrol insects have stronger effects than non-biocontrol insects on plants - Peter Stiling; Marc J. Lajeunesse (BioControl, 2025)

Metarhizium species and their volatile organic compounds: promising alternatives for the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae management - Rana H. M. Hussien; Shimaa Ghareeb; Fatma Sh. Kalmosh (BioControl, 2025)

Presence and potential of Pasteuria penetrans (Firmicutes: Pasteuriaceae) to suppress root-knot nematodes in naturally infested vineyards of Northern Peru - César Augusto Murguía-Reyes; Marilú Córdova-López; Edson Fidel Pacheco-Miñán; Augusto David Murguía-Obando; Karen Lisbhet Palma-More (BioControl, 2025)

Dipteran parasitoids as biocontrol agents - María Fernanda Cingolani; María Candela Barakat; Pierfilippo Cerretti; Dorys T. Chirinos; Francisco Ferrer; Jackeline Gaviria Vega; Simon Grenier; Takumasa Kondo; Thomas Pape; Robert Plowes; Jorge Salas; Germán Vargas; et al. (BioControl, 2025)
Numerous studies conducted on a variety of temporal and spatial scales around the world show that dipteran parasitoids can exert effective control over some insect pests. This paper provides an overview of major examples of successful classical and augmentative biological control initiatives, organized by major dipteran families which include parasitoid species (i.e., Tachinidae, Phoridae, Sarcophagidae, Cryptochetidae, Bombyliidae, Syrphidae) and according to different global regions. In addition, examples of unsuccessful attempts at biological control using dipteran parasitoids are discussed, along with potential reasons for these failures. A notable drawback found during our literature review is that many parasitoids and host species are not correctly identified, and information on laboratory and field studies is rather scarce. Reproductive strategies of dipteran parasitoids and host-parasitoid associations need to be better investigated. Expanding the knowledge of these parasitoids is crucial for improving biocontrol strategies, especially against pests for which dipterans are key natural enemies.

Storage conditions for pupae of the parasitoid wasp Pseudapanteles dignus, a natural enemy of Phthorimaea absoluta - Consuelo Vallina; Nancy Mabel Greco; María Gabriela Luna (BioControl, 2025)

Bacillus siamensis strain B9 suppresses Sclerotinia stem rot in Egyptian clover - Sukhman Kaur Aulakh; Daljeet Singh Buttar; Ajay Kumar Choudhary; Ashlesha Atri; Gurveer Singh Brar (BioControl, 2025)

Developmental time, potential food sources and predatory behaviour of the invasive pest species Thrips parvispinus - Sophie Le Hesran; Denise Sewkaransing; Henri Essombé Kuoh; Gerben J. Messelink (BioControl, 2025)
Biological control of invasive thrips is a challenge in many agricultural systems, partly because of a lack of knowledge about their life cycle and interactions with their environment. Thrips parvispinus Karny (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is an invasive species causing damage to many crops worldwide and on which our knowledge is still limited. We studied the developmental time of T. parvispinus under three different fluctuating temperature regimes, its predatory behaviour against the eggs of a phytoseiid predatory mite and the effect of different food sources on its oviposition rate. We showed that T. parvispinus adult females and L2 larvae can feed on a limited number of Amblyseius swirskii Athias-Henriot (Acari: Phytoseiidae) eggs and that their predatory behaviour is significantly affected by the nutritional quality of the host plant and the presence of pollen. Additionally, the oviposition rate of T. parvispinus females over six days was not positively affected by the presence of Typha angustifolia pollen, Artemia cysts or prey mites on bean leaves. Finally, we showed that the developmental time of T. parvispinus is relatively fast and comparable to that of the invasive thrips species Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae). Our study provides further insight into the feeding behaviour of T. parvispinus as an omnivorous pest species and its interactions with its predators. Thrips parvispinus is unlikely to have a negative effect on phytoseiid mite populations and the use of supplementary food to support predatory mites in the crop does not seem to pose a risk of significantly increasing T. parvispinus populations.

Beauveria bassiana-based management of Thrips palmi in greenhouse - Kusum Mushyakhwo; Lourena Arone Maxwell; Yu-Shin Nai; Ramasamy Srinivasan; Shaw-Yhi Hwang (BioControl, 2025)

Effects of clonal integration on the invasive weed Alternanthera philoxeroides and its native congener varied with plant–herbivore coevolutionary history: implications for management - Zihui Huang; Wenfeng Guo; Jun Tang; Xiaoqiong Li (BioControl, 2025)

Nesidiocoris tenuis, Macrolophus pygmaeus (Hemiptera: Miridae) and (Z)-3-hexenyl propanoate induce systemic resistance against the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne spp. in tomatoes - Aïda Magdalena Fullana; Ariadna Giné; Alberto Urbaneja; Meritxell Pérez-Hedo; Francisco Javier Sorribas; Alejandro Expósito (BioControl, 2025)
The management of Meloidogyne spp. in tomato crops presents significant challenges for sustainable agriculture. This study evaluates the potential of Nesidiocoris tenuis , Macrolophus pygmaeus, and (Z) -3-hexenyl propanoate—two zoophytophagous mirid species and one of the herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) they trigger—to induce systemic resistance against Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica in tomato plants (cv. Bodar). To this end, we assess the expression of the PIN2 and PR1 genes, related to the jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) pathways, respectively. Exposure of tomato plants to 15 nymphs of either N. tenuis or M. pygmaeus for 24 or 48 h, and to (Z) -3-hexenyl propanoate for 24 h, before inoculation with 200 second-stage juveniles of the nematodes significantly reduced nematode infectivity and reproduction. Notably, PIN2 gene expression in leaves was upregulated nine- and 14-fold by N. tenuis and M. pygmaeus, respectively, zero days after nematode inoculation (DANI) and was repressed by the nematode seven DANI with a nine-fold decrease, but not when the plants were exposed to M. pygmaeus or N. tenuis , indicating a strong early defense response. However, PR1 expression levels showed no significant changes, suggesting a predominant role of the JA pathway over the SA pathway in the induced resistance. We conclude that induction of systemic resistance in tomato plants by N. tenuis, M. pygmaeus, and (Z) -3-hexenyl propanoate before nematode exposure is a promising strategy for nematode management, at least to suppress nematode infection by the primary inoculum and later reproduction.

Benefits of mixed diets for predatory ladybirds: meta-analysis of laboratory experiments - Sergey Y. Reznik (BioControl, 2025)

Thrips biological control agent shows greater niche overlap with invasive alligatorweed than conventional agent in current and future climate scenarios - Samuel A. Schmid; Andrés F. Sánchez-Restrepo; Alejandro J. Sosa; Gray Turnage; Gary N. Ervin (BioControl, 2025)

The endophytic bacterium Bacillus subtilis R8 as a prospective biocontrol agent for managing tea blister blight and enhancing tea yield - Quang Trung Do (BioControl, 2025)

Recent advances in experimental design of synthetic microbial communities for biocontrol application - Bappa Karmakar; Dwipendra Thakuria; Ramie Husneara Begum; Rajappa Janyanaik Joga (BioControl, 2025)

Paenibacillus polymyxa improves glutathione reductase activity and reduces Fusarium verticillioides incidence in maize grains - Mikaely Sousa Marins; Rafaela Araújo Guimarães; José Edson Fontes Figueiredo; Talles Henrique Pereira Alves; Gisele de Fátima Dias Diniz; Luciano Viana Cota; Christiane Abreu de Oliveira-Paiva; Ludwig Heinrich Pfenning (BioControl, 2025)

Effect of artificial sugar supply on ant-aphid interactions in protected horticulture - Jesús Foronda; Estefanía Rodríguez; Juan J. Soler; Mónica González; María del Mar Téllez; Carmen Robles-Vallet; Pablo Barranco; Francisca Ruano (BioControl, 2025)

Beauveria bassiana biocontrol with neem oil adjuvant is effective for the management of the cassava mosaic virus vector Bemisia tabaci in field trials - Nuchnudda Wichienchote; Somruetai Jaiyen; Rudsamee Wasuwan; Channarong Seepiban; Saengsoon Charoenvilaisiri; Morakot Tanticharoen; Alongkorn Amnuaykanjanasin (BioControl, 2025)

Laboratory and field studies to assess the efficacy of the predatory mite Typhlodromus (Anthoseius) recki (Acari: Phytoseiidae) introduced via banker plants to control the mite pest Aculops lycopersici (Acari: Eriophyidae) on tomato - Benjamin Gard; Amélie Bardel; Martial Douin; Benjamin Perrin; Marie-Stéphane Tixier (BioControl, 2025)

Effective control of insect pests through intercropping of cabbage with barley and buckwheat - Takayuki Sekine; Takaho Oe; Yasuyuki Komagata; Takeru Itabashi (BioControl, 2025)

Conspecific and heterospecific behavior of Encarsia lutea, a heteronomous hyperparasitoid of Bemisia tabaci - Mehmet Ön; Mahmut Mete Karaca; Behiye Arıkan; Kamil Karut (BioControl, 2025)

Parasitoids of the invasive cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae), in Iraq - Ahmed Hasan Khudhair; Ali A. Kareem; Gillian W. Watson; Robert L. Kresslein; Jordan Beasley; Nurdan Topakcı; Andrew Polaszek (BioControl, 2025)
Phenacoccus solenopsis Tinsley (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae) is an invasive mealybug globally, having originated in North America. During routine rearing of this pest in a plant nursery in Karbala, Iraq in June 2023, three species of parasitoid wasps (Hymenoptera, Chalcicoidea) emerged from the mealybug colonies, or were extracted as pupae from parasitised mealybugs. They were identified using both morphology and DNA sequencing as Aenasius arizonensis (Girault), Cheiloneurus nankingensis Li and Zu (Encyrtidae), and Marietta pictus (André) (Aphelinidae). The latter two species represent new country records for Iraq. All three species are diagnosed and illustrated below, with summaries of their distributions and biology. The importance of having databases available of barcodes and other diagnostic sequence data is emphasised in the context of biological control programmes.

A pipeline to predict the biosafety profile of putative biocontrol yeasts: Papiliotrema terrestris strain PT22AV as a case study - Davide Palmieri; Giuseppe Ianiri; Bruno Testa; Maria Chiara Guerrieri; Thomas Conte; Riccardo Aiese Cigliano; Carmine Del Grosso; Filippo De Curtis; Raffaello Castoria; Giuseppe Lima (BioControl, 2025)

Friends or foes: co-application of Trichoderma- and Bacillus-based products with chemicals to manage soybean foliar diseases - Dhylan Keillor Queiróz dos Santos; Fabio Mulinari dos Santos; Aline Soares Roso; Darcila Pereira Camargo; Laura de Souza Viera; Guilherme Barassuol Morandini; Jansen Rodrigo Pereira Santos; Julio Carlos Pereira da Silva (BioControl, 2025)

Endophytic Beauveria bassiana promoted growth in Phaseolus vulgaris L. with causing negative effects on Frankliniella occidentalis by reducing its feeding and fitness - Xiaoyun Ren; Ruirui Xu; Guangcai Shen; Shengyong Wu; Zhongren Lei (BioControl, 2025)

Effect of melanization of entomopathogenic nematodes on the potential of Steinernema feltiae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora for the control of Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti - Uvaldo M. Velázquez-Pablos; Alfredo Castillo-Vera; Juan Cisneros; Francisco Solis-Santoyo (BioControl, 2025)

Isolation of Bacillus thuringiensis serovar israelensis VCRC-B650 from Indian clay soil with enhanced mosquitocidal activity and dehairing property - Kakhuangailiu Gangmei; Jibi Lukose; Abhisubesh Vijayakumar; Hemaladkshmi Padmanaban; Sahadiya Mandodan; Bhagyashree Bora; Manikandan Sivaprakasam; Aneha Kunnikuruvan; Mathivanan Ashokkumar; Vijayakumar Balakrishnan; Geetha Irudayaraj; Poopathi Subbiah (BioControl, 2025)

Efficacy of nematophagous fungi (Arthrobotrys dactyloides and A. oligospora) as biocontrol agents against root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) in sweetpotato - K. Groves; Y. Li; P. U. S. Peiris; P. H. Brown (BioControl, 2025)
The root-knot nematode ( Meloidogyne spp.) is an obligate plant parasite and is one of the largest threats to the Australian sweetpotato industry, causing crop losses of up to 57% of marketable yield. In this study, two potential fungal biocontrol agents were encapsulated in alginate granules and their nematophagous activity was assessed in a laboratory-based microcosm experiment. Both species of fungi significantly reduced numbers of root-knot nematodes in red ferrosol soil. A greater reduction was observed in untreated field soil prior to introduction of root-knot nematodes and fungal biocontrol agents compared to soil that had been heat-sterilised. In a ten-week glasshouse experiment, no significant difference in the root-knot nematode populations in sweetpotato roots and soil was found between fungal biocontrol agent and control treatments. There was a trend towards an increase in the sweetpotato storage root weight and reduction in storage root damage in fungal biocontrol agent compared to control treatments, and both yield and damage levels were similar to those achieved from the use of chemical nematicide treatments. These results demonstrate the need for greater understanding of the interactions between soil biological populations and introduced nematophagous fungi if effective biocontrol is to be consistently achieved with these bioagents under field conditions.

Combining a predator and a parasitoid for biological control of Phenacoccus madeirensis (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) - Adriana Acevedo-Alcalá; Esteban Rodríguez-Leyva; J. Refugio Lomeli-Flores; Ariel W. Guzmán-Franco; Julio C. Velázquez-González (BioControl, 2025)

Parasitism by Aleiodes ceres Shimbori, 2023 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) of three species of Spodoptera Guenée, 1852: effects of preferential instar and host diet - Jailma Rodrigues dos Santos; Tamara Akemi Takahashi; Gabriel Rodrigues Palma; Rafael de Andrade Moral; José Roberto Postali Parra (BioControl, 2025)
A recently discovered koinobiont parasitoid species, Aleiodes ceres Shimbori, 2023, proved to be a promising biological control agent for larvae of Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker, 1858), S. eridania (Stoll, 1782), and S. frugiperda (J.E. Smith, 1797), all well-known pests that cause critical damage to soybean and corn crops. This study investigated the potential of parasitism by A. ceres in these three species, including different instars (1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th instar) and diets (artificial and natural). Parasitism was highest when it occurs in the second instar for all three host species. The egg-to-pupa period of A. ceres was shorter in the second and third instars in relation to the first instar. Parasitism was substantially enhanced by the use of natural diets (soybean and corn leaves) compared with the artificial diet in all three species of the Spodoptera complex, suggesting a possible allelochemical interaction. Based on the results from the three host species, the potential for control of Spodoptera spp. by A. ceres was evident.

Biological insights and genetic characterization of a ground-searching mymarid wasp parasitizing eggs of a tettigoniid forest pest - Giacomo Ortis; Isabel Martinez-Sañudo; Laura Maretto; Chrysalyn Dominguez; Serguei V. Triapitsyn; Luca Mazzon (BioControl, 2025)

Infection by Nosema sp. alters the morphological parameters and flight capacity of Cotesia flavipes - Nadja Nara. P. Silva; Vanessa R. Carvalho; João Pedro A. Bomfim; Carolane B. Silva; Regiane C. Oliveira (BioControl, 2025)

Diptera as predators in biological control: applications and future perspectives - Giovanni Burgio; Maria Luisa Dindo; Thomas Pape; Daniel Whitmore; Daniele Sommaggio (BioControl, 2025)
The role of dipteran predators in biological pest control programs is reviewed and discussed. Diptera encompasses a large number of potentially efficient predators for biological pest control, yet only a few species are routinary used. The families Syrphidae and Cecidomyiidae provide some of the most successful examples of biological control, but other families (e.g., Muscidae, Sarcophagidae, Sciomyzidae) also include species with that potential. Most applications of Diptera as predators involve the conservation biological control approach, while the augmentative approach has involved only a few species, almost exclusively of Syrphidae and Cecidomyiidae. In a few cases, classical biological control has been employed. Commercialization of species mainly to be used in the augmentative approach is discussed, also focusing on the critical issues linked to rearing methods. The dual services performed by Diptera (pollination as adults and biological control as larvae) have been studied in detail for Syrphidae only, but would deserve further study in other families, e.g., Sarcophagidae. This is the first review in which the use of predatory Diptera in biological control programs is investigated for all families and in all types of applications. This review recommends a multi-taxon approach in the use of Diptera in biological control since a large number of taxa have considerable potential, although this has not yet been tested in practical applications.

Burkholderia gladioli BNM349 as a promising source of bacterial metabolites for biocontrol of common bacterial blight of bean - Florencia Alvarez; Juan A. Grispi; Marcela S. Montecchia; Walter O. Draghi; Gabriela M. Cabrera; Ana M. Romero; Irma N. Roberts; Ester Simonetti (BioControl, 2025)

Endophytic Beauveria bassiana promotes sunflower growth and confers resistance against sclerotinia disease - Li Sui; Yang Lu; Huiping Yang; Zhiming Liu; Li Wang; Xiaowei Zou; Qiyun Li; Zhengkun Zhang (BioControl, 2025)

Flowering zinnia as companion plant increases predatory arthropod abundance and improves yard-long bean yield - Puntharika Khongruang; Kasidit Rison; Nipada Ruankaew Disyatat; Chatchawan Chaisuekul (BioControl, 2025)

First records of diurnal and nocturnal predatory birds from artificial hunting perch trials in oil palm plantations - Kamil Tohiran; Dzulhelmi Muhammad Nasir; Maisarah Burhanuddin; Frisco Nobilly; Raja Zulkifli; Ramle Moslim; Muhammad Syafiq Yahya; Ahmad Razi Norhisham; Alex M. Lechner; Badrul Azhar (BioControl, 2024)

Improvement of the entomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps javanica efficacy against Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) under ultraviolet-B radiation and lower relative air humidity provided by oil formulations - Marcos R. Conceschi; Natasha Sant´Anna Iwanicki; Rafael de Andrade Moral; Celeste P. D’Alessandro; Italo Delalibera Junior (BioControl, 2024)

Potential biological control agents of Geosmithia morbida restrict fungal pathogen growth via mycoparasitism and antibiosis - Aaron J. Onufrak; Romina Gazis; Kimberly Gwinn; William Klingeman; Sima Khodaei; Luis I. Perez Oñate; Autumn Finnell; Spencer Givens; Cristine Chen; David R. Holdridge; Denita Hadziabdic (BioControl, 2024)
Thousand cankers disease of Juglans (walnut) and Pterocarya (wingnut) spp. (Fagales: Juglandaceae) is caused by the fungal pathogen Geosmithia morbida Kolarík, Freeland, Utley, and Tisserat (Hypocreales: Bionectriaceae) and bark beetle pest/vector, Pityophthorus juglandis Blackman (Coleoptera: Curculionidae). To further the development of biological management strategies for thousand cankers disease, we assessed the ability of 14 endophytic Trichoderma (Hypocreales: Hypocreaceae) isolates and the commercially available isolate T. afroharzianum strain KRL-AG2 to inhibit the in vitro growth of three different G. morbida isolates via mycoparasitism and antibiosis. To identify factors that may affect field success of candidate biological control agents, we quantified the growth responses of Trichoderma spp. and the commercially available entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana (Bals.-Criv.) Vuill. (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) strain GHA, to the plant secondary metabolite and antimicrobial compound, juglone in vitro. A total of 12 Trichoderma isolates (from six different Trichoderma species) demonstrated antagonistic activity towards G. morbida in dual-plate assays. Juglone consistently reduced the growth of B. bassiana strain GHA and 14 of the 15 screened Trichoderma isolates in vitro. Additionally, one metabolite-producing Trichoderma isolate, TN4-47, completely inhibited the growth of all three G. morbida isolates across all tested metabolite concentrations and had comparatively greater tolerance to juglone compared to other Trichoderma isolates. Future lines of research should focus on characterizing the active antagonistic compound present in the metabolite filtrates, determine the mode of action of the active component(s), and elucidate how abiotic and biotic factors may influence the growth, persistence, and antagonistic activity of candidate biological control agents in planta .

Life cycle, host specificity and potential impact of a gall-inducing thrips Acaciothrips ebneri, a biological control agent for prickly acacia (Vachellia nilotica subsp. indica) in Australia - Boyang Shi; Kunjithapatham Dhileepan (BioControl, 2024)
Prickly acacia ( Vachellia nilotica subsp. indica (Benth.) Kyal. & Boatwr.; Fabales: Fabaceae) is a Weed of National Significance and a target for biological control in Australia. Currently there are no effective biological control agents for the weed in Australia. Based on genetic and climate matching, a gall thrips ( Acaciothrips ebneri Karny; Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) inducing rosette galls resulting in shoot tip dieback, was identified as a prospective biological control agent from Ethiopia. No-choice host-specificity tests were conducted on 59 test plant species in a high security quarantine in Brisbane, Australia. Acaciothrips ebneri is host-specific, inducing galls and reproducing only on prickly acacia. Acaciothrips ebneri , as predicted by the CLIMEX model, is suited to hot and arid western Queensland where major prickly acacia infestations occur. The Australian Government approved A. ebneri for field release in October 2022. This is the first time a true gall-inducing thrips has ever been approved as a weed biological control agent. Field releases commenced in January 2023 and are in progress. There are early signs of field establishment resulting in shoot tip die back in the field, and field release and monitoring will continue.

Dusting Metarhizium rileyi conidia with a drone for controlling fall armyworm and soybean looper in maize and soybean fields - Rogerio Biaggioni Lopes; Fernando Garcia Nicodemos; Ana Beatriz Zacaroni; Hebert Ribeiro de Souza; Marcos Faria (BioControl, 2024)

Host preference and mortality caused by the parasitoid Sclerodermus guani on different cerambycid species - Qun Yu; Shuang Li; Yu-Jun Kong; Zuo-Xiang Sun; Dan-Dan Cao; Jian-Rong Wei (BioControl, 2024)

Within-host competition between Cotesia flavipes and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora in Diatraea saccharalis - Telliane Santos Salgueiro Silva; Patricia da Silva Santos; Rayanne Ingrid Silva Vieira; Aldomário Santo Negrisoli Junior; Elio Cesar Guzzo (BioControl, 2024)

Effects of mealybug and female body sizes on host examination and offspring developmental performances in the gregarious hyperparasitoid Cheiloneurus nankingensis - Wenquan Qin; Tingting Yao; Ling Meng; Baoping Li (BioControl, 2024)

Biocontrol of Fusarium spp. root rot in yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) by native rhizospheric Trichoderma spp. - Alexsandra Cezimbra Quevedo; Marlove Fátima Brião Muniz; Janaina Silva Sarzi; Jaqueline Raquel Tomm Krahn; Lucas Graciolli Savian; Luciane Almeri Tabaldi; Marisa Ana Strahl; Mateus Alves Saldanha; Ricardo Harakava; Tales Poletto; Júlio Carlos Pereira da Silva (BioControl, 2024)

How plant and insect host characteristics affect pepper weevil Anthonomus eugenii parasitism efficacy by the pteromalid Jaliscoa hunteri - Serena Leo; Roselyne Labbé; Cynthia Scott-Dupree (BioControl, 2024)
The pepper weevil Anthonomus eugenii (Cano) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is an economically important pest of both field and greenhouse pepper crops, Capsicum annuum Linnaeus (Solanaceae) in North America. Among its natural enemies is the parasitoid wasp Jaliscoa (= Catolaccus ) hunteri (Crawford) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), whose potential control of A. eugenii appears promising but is currently unclear. We conducted controlled environment trials to quantify A. eugenii offspring emergence following exposure to J. hunteri , examining how parasitoid exposure period, weevil host life stage, pepper cultivar, fruit size and abscission status affect weevil-natural enemy dynamics. In pepper cultivar comparison trials, we identified a significant reduction in weevil offspring emergence from three different cultivars of ornamental peppers infested by A. eugenii , but no difference among them. In trials comparing wasp exposure period and weevil larval instar, pepper plants of one cultivar (Blaze) were exposed to A. eugenii adults, and subsequently to J. hunteri wasps for either three or seven days, when offspring weevils were either at the L1 or L3 instar. Offspring emergence was significantly reduced up to 62% when L3 but not L1 weevils were exposed to wasps for 7 days. Following this longer exposure period, significantly greater weevil suppression occurred in small (71.7%) versus large fruit (62.5%), with an additional 15.1% weevil suppression resulting from attached relative to abscised fruit. These results highlight the potential for J. hunteri as a biological control agent of A. eugenii on pepper crops, with particular value in commercial greenhouse production where wasp retention rates can be high.

Tachinids in conservation biological control of phytophagous Pentatomidae - Celina Andrea Fernández; Eduardo Lujan Punschke; M. Fernanda Cingolani; Ana Paula Carrizo; M. Candela Barakat; Rodrigo de Vilhena Perez Dios; Franco Blengino; Facundo Huarte; Guillermo Alberto Montero (BioControl, 2024)

Conservation biological control of stink bugs: current knowledge and future perspectives - María Fernanda Cingolani; Raúl Alberto Laumann (BioControl, 2024)

Does intraspecific variation in Trissolcus japonicus affect its response to non-target hosts? - Nina Häner; Fleur Fenijn; Tim Haye (BioControl, 2024)
Host specificity is a key criterion for the implementation of any biological control program. In parasitoid wasps, host specificity is mediated by their response to chemical cues directly and indirectly associated with their hosts during foraging. Although intraspecific variation in foraging behaviour is documented, it is rarely integrated into risk assessment studies of potential biological control agents, as is the case for Trissolcus japonicus (Ashmead) (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), an Asian egg parasitoid and biological control agent of the invasive Halyomorpha halys (Stål) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). In the present study, we compared the behavioural response of T. japonicus females of an adventive line present in Switzerland and an Asian line (Beijing USDA), recently mass released in Italy, to cues of its target host H. halys and non-target host Pentatoma rufipes (L.) (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae). We observed minimal differences in host acceptance, exploitation and suitability in no-choice tests. In contrast, the behavioural response to host contact kairomones left on leaf substrates significantly differed between the two lines. While both lines preferred chemical footprints of H. halys in comparison to P. rufipes , females of the Beijing USDA line responded more strongly to host kairomones. The observed intraspecific variation in behavioural traits highlights the relevance of considering genetically distinct parasitoid lines and their host foraging behaviour in biological risk assessment studies. However, the implications of intraspecific variation in parasitoid foraging behaviour for biological control of a pest and non-target effects in the field remain challenging to predict.

Influence of the management of rice crops and wild vegetation on the diversity of Scelionidae egg parasitoids of Pentatomidae - Simone Mundstock Jahnke; Gisele de Souza da Silva; Norman F. Johnson (BioControl, 2024)

Chemical and visual stimuli for conservation biological control of stink bugs in soybean: potential use and flaws on egg parasitoid recruitment - Ana Carolina G. Lagôa; Pedro H. B. Togni; Michely F. Aquino; Maria Carolina Blassioli-Moraes; Miguel Borges; Raúl A. Laumann (BioControl, 2024)

Management of Euschistus heros with the release of Telenomus podisi in soybean in Brazil - Gabryele Silva Ramos; Alessandro Bandeira Dalbianco; Daniel Mariano Santos; Daniel de Lima Alvarez; Regiane Cristina de Oliveira (BioControl, 2024)

The indirect effect of nectar-inhabiting yeasts on olfactory responses and longevity of two stink bug egg parasitoids - Jay Darryl L. Ermio; Ezio Peri; Patrizia Bella; Michael Rostás; Islam S. Sobhy; Tom Wenseleers; Stefano Colazza; Bart Lievens; Antonino Cusumano (BioControl, 2024)
Adult parasitoids are well known to feed on sugar-rich resources such as floral nectar. Recently, an increasing body of evidence has shown that nectar is ubiquitously colonized by microorganisms and, as a consequence, microbial metabolic activity can affect several traits of floral nectar. Yet, how the fermentation of nectar by yeasts impacts the olfactory responses and performance of parasitoids is largely understudied, especially in the case of egg parasitoids. In this study, we investigated whether fermentation by the nectar yeasts Metschnikowia gruessii and M. reukaufii affects the olfactory responses of Trissolcus basalis and Ooencyrtus telenomicida, two egg parasitoid species associated with the southern green stink bug Nezara viridula . We also investigated how yeast fermentation affects the longevity and survival of the egg parasitoids. Results of static four-chamber olfactometer tests showed that nectar fermented by M. gruessii (but not by M. reukaufii ) was attractive to both egg parasitoid species, whereas no significant yeast-mediated effects were found in terms of wasp longevity. Gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed a clear separation of the volatile profiles among M. gruessii , M. reukaufii and non-fermented control nectar supporting the results of the insect bioassays. The results of our study highlight the need to consider the role of microbes when studying interactions between flower nectar and egg parasitoids and could have implications from a conservation biological control perspective.

Influence of landscape structure on stink bug and their adult parasitoid populations on soybean culture - Michely Ferreira Santos de Aquino; Edison Ryoiti Sujii; Sérgio Eustáquio de Noronha; Miguel Borges; Maria Carolina Blassioli-Moraes; Raul Alberto Laumann (BioControl, 2024)

Life history studies of stink bugs: much-needed research to support their conservation biological control - Antônio Ricardo Panizzi; Tiago Lucini (BioControl, 2024)

Correction to: Predatory behavior and potentiality of Toxorhynchites spp. (Diptera: Culicidae) against Aedes mosquito - Punya Ram Sukupayo; Ram Chandra Poudel; Tirth Raj Ghimire (BioControl, 2024)

The effect of bioC gene on ultraviolet radiation and oxidative resistance of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bacillales: Bacillaceae) - Yile Zhang; Caixia Chen; Xi Du; Haonan Wu; Chunmei Chen; Hong Chen; Zhen Yu; Qingqing Min; Xiaohua Hu; Zhaoxia Liu; Weilong Tan; Xiong Guan; et al. (BioControl, 2024)

Endophytic Beauveria bassiana in sugarcane and associated Eldana saccharina host plants in South Africa - Nongcebo S. Memela; R. Stuart Rutherford; Stefan Schmidt (BioControl, 2024)
Eldana saccharina Walker is a problematic sugarcane stalk borer pest in South Africa. Twenty-eight sugarcane genotypes ( Saccharum spp. hybrids) and seven different species of host plants of E. saccharina were surveyed for the presence of endophytic Beauveria bassiana sensu lato ( s.l. ). Collectively, 326 plant samples (roots, stems, or leaves) were collected from five locations in sugarcane-producing areas (KwaZulu-Natal; South Africa). Following plant surface disinfection, 128 fungal colonies morphologically resembling Beauveria spp. were isolated from internal plant tissues. The sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region confirmed that 13 representative isolates were B. bassiana. s.l . Eight B. bassiana isolates were recovered from E. saccharina natural host plants, and 120 from different sugarcane stem parts (top node, top internodes, bottom node, and bottom internode). Endophytic B. bassiana isolates were recovered from 22 of 28 sugarcane genotypes surveyed. The number of B. bassiana isolates obtained from different sugarcane parts differed significantly, with more B. bassiana isolates obtained from the top than the bottom internodes. Furthermore, sugarcane genotypes N31 and N41 yielded B. bassiana from all plant parts sampled, while five sugarcane genotypes harbored no B. bassiana isolates. This study demonstrates for the first time the natural occurrence of endophytic B. bassiana strains in sugarcane plants and E. saccharina host plants in South Africa.

Predatory behavior and potentiality of Toxorhynchites spp. (Diptera: Culicidae) against Aedes mosquito - Punya Ram Sukupayo; Ram Chandra Poudel; Tirth Raj Ghimire (BioControl, 2024)

Comparative efficacies of two fungal insecticides in field control of cereal aphids heavily infesting winter wheat - Sen-Miao Tong; Dan-Yi Qi; Chun-Ling Liu; Guan-Hua Feng; Wen-Yue Pan; Yan-Zhi Shao; R. Yang; Ming-Guang Feng (BioControl, 2024)

Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) spores carried by Scleroderma guani (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae): a novel strategy for improving the control efficiency of Semanotus bifasciatus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) in the field - Jian-Yong Zeng; Jia-Wei Bai; Hua-Ling Wang; Xiao-Yu Su; Xue-Fei Wang; Ning-Ning Fu; Hui-Ping Li (BioControl, 2024)

Vertebrates and flying insects provide biocontrol services to Australian urban food gardens - Robert McDougall; Paul Kristiansen; Tanya Latty; Romina Rader (BioControl, 2024)
Biocontrol by wild insects and other organisms is an important service provided to agriculture, but few studies have linked the role of this service to urban garden crop production. In 15 urban food gardens in Sydney, Australia, we assessed predation and parasitism of two sentinel prey species, recorded pest control activities undertaken by gardeners and the produce yielded by garden crops. We observed substantial removal of sentinel prey (mean removal 22% for Tenebrio molitor larvae and 59% for Helicoverpa armigera ) but no parasitism. Vertebrate predators primarily consisted of urban adapted birds and mammals common throughout Australian cities. We measured a range of local and landscape scale environmental variables including plant richness and abundance, light, canopy cover, building density and distance to remnant vegetation. We found that gardeners undertook only basic pest control activities with little chemical use, yet high amounts of produce were harvested. Pest control services were poorly explained by environmental variables. Low active pest control activities, and high predation rates suggest pests are either well controlled or in low numbers in the surveyed urban food gardens. Given the vertebrate predators were generalist birds and mammals common to many parts of urban Australia, the provision of predation services to urban gardens by these taxa could be widespread across the continent.

Climate modelling of the potential distribution in South Africa of two Zygogramma species (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) released for the biological control of invasive weed Tithonia rotundifolia (Asteraceae: Heliantheae) - Khethani V. Mawela; David O. Simelane; Terence Olckers (BioControl, 2024)
Two Mexican leaf-feeding beetles, Zygogramma piceicollis (Stål) and Zygogramma signatipennis (Stål) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), were released in South Africa for the biological control of the invasive species Tithonia rotundifolia (Mill.) S.E. Blake (Asteraceae: Heliantheae). The aim of this study was to predict the potential of these beetles to establish and spread in South Africa, using MaxEnt climate modelling that incorporated locality data recorded in Mexico between 2008 and 2019 and data from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Zygogramma signatipennis displayed a wider distribution than Z. piceicollis in Mexico, with some overlap between the two species. The average receiver operating characteristic curves obtained for Z. piceicollis and Z. signatipennis predicted high mean area under curve values of 0.910 and 0.885, respectively. Jackknife tests revealed that mean annual temperature had the highest gain when used in isolation for Z. piceicollis , compared with minimum precipitation of the driest month for Z. signatipennis . These tests also revealed that the highest and lowest contributing environmental variables for Z. piceicollis and Z. signatipennis were minimum precipitation of the driest month (37.9 and 46.7%) and maximum annual temperature of the warmest month (3.8 and 12.3%), respectively. MaxEnt modelling predicted that at least six of South Africa’s nine provinces provide regions that would support the proliferation of both beetles, with conditions best suited for Z. piceicollis . Despite predictions that both beetles should establish throughout the range of T. rotundifolia in South Africa, their realized establishment has so far been poor. Other factors, besides climate, including release size, site destructions, drought, soil moisture and texture could be constraining establishment.

Effects of Beauveria bassiana on the growth and reproductive rates of Nezara viridula - Maribel Portilla; Moukaram Tertuliano; Katherine Parys; James P. Glover; Gadi V. P. Reddy (BioControl, 2024)

Submersed herbicides and thrips biological control effectively reduce biomass of alligatorweed (Alternanthera philoxeroides), a widespread aquatic invasive plant - Samuel A. Schmid; Gray Turnage; Gary N. Ervin (BioControl, 2024)

Benefits associated with the implementation of biological control programmes in Latin America - Yelitza C. Colmenarez; Carlos Vasquez (BioControl, 2024)
Agriculture in Latin America plays a significant role in the region’s economy, food security, and rural development. Although pest control has traditionally relied on chemicals, there is increasing adoption of sustainable agricultural practices. Thus, in recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on sustainable agriculture practices, including biological control, to minimise environmental impact, conserve natural resources, and ensure long-term agricultural productivity. In Latin America, high biodiversity enhances biological control, both classical and augmentative biological control. The use of biological control agents allows farmers to produce their crops whilst reducing the use of chemicals in agriculture. In addition, biological control opens new market opportunities for farmers and job options for youth in rural areas. Maximal benefits will however be attained only after adoption of biological control practices and when an effective interaction among key stakeholders is achieved. Thus, farmers and consumers can reap the benefits of biological control, which can incentivise and accelerate adoption at the field level. To evaluate the socio-economic benefits of biological control, establishing multidisciplinary teams to conduct the studies is crucial. The current article explores the benefits resulting from the implementation of biological control programmes, highlighting social benefits. In addition, as part of the Plantwise programme, created to assist agricultural production with a sustainable perspective, data on the use of biopesticides in some countries are discussed in the context of sustainable production looking forward to reinforcing food security and safety in Latin America.

A growing number of benefit evaluations and new innovations should foster broader adoption of classical biological control - Mark Schwarzländer; Peter G. Mason (BioControl, 2024)

Studies on the host selection of a weed biological control candidate facilitate pre-release environmental safety assessments - Bijay Subedi; Mark Schwarzländer; Sanford D. Eigenbrode; Bradley L. Harmon; Philip Weyl (BioControl, 2024)
Pre-release host specificity testing can reliably predict the environmental safety of weed biological control agent (BCA) candidates but typically does not consider their host-finding behavior. Therefore, BCA candidates that do not utilize non-target plants in the field post-release, despite development on such plants in pre-release tests, may be prematurely disqualified for release. We addressed this issue with the seedpod weevil Ceutorhynchus peyerimhoffi , a BCA candidate for the invasive Eurasian mustard Isatis tinctoria . Ceutorhynchus peyerimhoffi weevils, both naive and experienced, were tested for their responses to olfactory, visual, and combined olfactory and visual cues of Braya alpina , Caulanthus heterophyllus , and the US federally listed Boechera hoffmannii . These responses were compared to I. tinctoria or control treatments in a modified Y-tube olfactometer set-up. Naïve and weevils with prior experience on I. tinctoria responded with attraction to olfactory, visual, and combined cues of I. tinctoria . In contrast, there was no attraction by either naïve or experienced weevils to non-target plant cues, except for attraction to C. heterophyllus combined cues by experienced weevils. Furthermore, visual cues of B. alpina and B. hoffmannii were repellent to experienced weevils, and olfactory cues of B. alpina were repellent to naïve weevils. We conclude that C. peyerimhoffi uses visual and olfactory cues to discriminate between its host plant I. tinctoria and North American non-targets. Behavioral host selection studies involving multimodal cues can provide a mechanistic explanation of host selection and complement environmental safety assessments of weed BCA candidates.

Using economics to inform and evaluate biological control programs: opportunities, challenges, and recommendations for future research - Katherine Lee; Shana McDermott; Linda Fernandez (BioControl, 2024)
Assessing the economics of biological controls in pest and invasive species control is pivotal for guiding research and decision making. The field of economics provides numerous systematic methods to assess the impacts and values created by biocontrol programs, as well as weigh the trade-offs of allocating resources to research, development, and management activities. This article discusses economic methods used to evaluate the impacts and quantify the net benefits of biological control programs, including data needs and shortcomings of methodologies. We cite examples from the literature on the economics of biological control to provide insight into the various ways in which economics contributes to the design, evaluation, and development of recommendations for biological control programs. We then discuss general trends and highlight knowledge gaps, providing suggestions for enhancing the use of economics in the analysis of biological control programs in the existing literature. This article is intended to serve as resource for researchers and policymakers interested in assessing benefits and trade-offs of biological control programs through the lens of economics.

Traits of insect herbivores and target weeds associated with greater biological weed control establishment and impact - Sujan Panta; Mark Schwarzländer; Philip S. R. Weyl; Hariet L. Hinz; Rachel L. Winston; Sanford D. Eigenbrode; Bradley L. Harmon; Sven Bacher; Quentin Paynter (BioControl, 2024)
Improving success rates of classical weed biocontrol programs is an ongoing effort that requires a variety of different approaches. Previous assessments indicated biocontrol agent taxonomy and feeding characteristics and weed life history traits are associated with better control outcomes. We examined weed biocontrol releases for correlations between biocontrol agent and target weed traits associated with different levels of reported establishment and control. Data collated in the 5th edition of ‘Biological Control of Weeds: A World Catalogue of Agents and Their Target Weeds’ were used as the basis for this global analysis. Published literature was used to augment the catalog with data for eight biocontrol agent traits and four target weed traits. Biocontrol agent establishment and impact data were analyzed against these traits using generalized linear mixed models and categorical models, respectively. Analyses for biocontrol agent establishment reveal the following agent traits were correlated with a greater probability of establishment: being an internal feeder, feeding on above-ground plant tissues, multivoltine agents and agents that feed during both their adult and immature life stages. Insect taxon did not affect establishment except for the order Lepidoptera, which had the lowest establishment probability. For weed traits, those occurring in aquatic or riparian habitats were associated with a higher probability of biocontrol agent establishment. Regarding agent impact, using the definition categories in the catalog, agents feeding externally and on vegetative plant tissues, multivoltine agents and those with both adult and immature plant-feeding life stages were strongly correlated with greater impact. Perennials, reproducing only vegetatively and invading aquatic or riparian habitats were associated with greater biocontrol impact. Our findings could facilitate both the prioritization of invasive plants targeted for biocontrol and the selection of suitable biocontrol agent candidates, which should further improve biocontrol project outcomes.

Prioritizing weeds for biological control development in the western USA: adaptation of the Biological Control Target Selection system - Rachel L. Winston; Mark Schwarzländer; Hariet L. Hinz; Paul D. Pratt (BioControl, 2024)
Nonnative invasive plants (weeds) negatively impact native biodiversity, ecosystem services, agriculture, and the economic interests and health of humans. Since 1902, biological weed control has been employed as a cost-effective and sustainable management option for weeds in the USA. However, biological control is not appropriate for all weeds, nor is sufficient funding available to develop biological control for all weed species. Researchers in South Africa recently developed a Biological Control Target Selection (BCTS) system as an objective, transparent, and simple approach to prioritizing weeds as targets for biological control. The system includes multiple attributes pertaining to the: (1) impact and importance of the target weed, (2) likelihood of achieving success, and (3) investment required to develop and implement biological control. Attributes are scored based on available literature, and the overall score for each weed is used to rank species according to their potential to result in successful biological control programs. This paper describes the adaptation of the BCTS for application to weeds in the western USA not already targeted for biological control.

Ecological benefits of integrative weed management of Melaleuca quinquenervia in Big Cypress National Preserve - Melissa C. Smith; Paul Julian; Don DeAngelis; Bo Zhang (BioControl, 2024)

Recent contributions of molecular population genetic and phylogenetic studies to classic biological control of weeds - John Gaskin (BioControl, 2024)

The highs and the lows: a cost benefit analysis of classical weed biocontrol in New Zealand - Simon V. Fowler; Ronny Groenteman; Quentin Paynter (BioControl, 2024)

Economic impact of a classical biological control program: application to Diachasmimorpha longicaudata against Bactrocera dorsalis fruit fly in Kenya - Komi Mensah Agboka; Henri E. Z. Tonnang; Beatrice W. Muriithi; Saliou Niassy; Shepard Ndlela; Elfatih M. Abdel-Rahman; Samira A. Mohamed; Sunday Ekesi (BioControl, 2024)
Classical biological control (CBC) has been exploited as a safer alternative for suppressing the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis, by importing, rearing, and releasing the larval parasitoid, Diachasmimorpha longicaudata . Although D. longicaudata has been released in Kenya through the Africa Fruit Fly Programme, the extent of its dispersal and subsequent economic benefits have not yet been established. This paper models the spatio-temporal dispersal of the parasitoid using the fuzzy cellular automata approaches and estimates the net benefit from each dollar invested in the CBC approach. We calculated the return on investment based on funding into the programme between 2006 and 2015 and the result of the dispersal range of the parasitoid predicted using an artificial intelligence algorithm. The investment yielded a significant net present value of US$42.8 million over the 16 years. Besides, the cost–benefit ratio showed that for every US$1 invested, the return benefit was US$93 , confirming the profitability of the CBC program. The economic gains are significant considering that there is no environmental contamination and possible adverse effects from the CBC intervention. The study findings support investment in biological control strategies for the eco-friendly and area-wide management of B. dorsalis.

Recent post-release evaluations of weed biocontrol programmes in South Africa: a summary of what has been achieved and what can be improved - Iain D. Paterson; Samuel N. Motitsoe; Julie A. Coetzee; Martin P. Hill (BioControl, 2024)
Biocontrol is widely considered an effective management solution for mitigating the negative impacts of invasive alien plants (weeds). Globally, post-release evaluations to assess individual biocontrol programmes are generally lacking and there have been persistent calls within the biocontrol of weeds literature to increase the quantity and quality of post-release evaluation studies. South African biocontrol researchers have prioritised post-release evaluation studies, with a significant proportion of funding dedicated to this purpose. In this study we review post-release evaluations of weed biocontrol programmes in South Africa that have been published in the last ten years, discuss the different ways these evaluations have been conducted, and identify gaps for future research. Post-release evaluations have been conducted at different scales, including physiological changes within individual plants, plant growth parameters, plant population dynamics and landscape level changes. In most cases, the results of these studies indicated that biocontrol has reduced invasions according to these metrics. While the reduction in the invasion is assumed to alleviate negative ecological and socio-economic impacts, this is usually not directly measured. Evaluations of the socio-economic and ecosystem level benefits of biocontrol were limited to just a few examples on aquatic weeds. More studies that investigate the landscape, socio-economic and ecosystem level changes due to biocontrol are required, especially for terrestrial weeds, if the true scale of the benefits provided by biocontrol are to be understood.

A new paradigm: proactive biological control of invasive insect pests - Mark S. Hoddle (BioControl, 2024)
Invasive insect pests are a significant and accelerating threat to agricultural productivity, they degrade wilderness areas, and reduce quality of life in urban zones. Introduction biological control, the introduction, release, and establishment of host-specific efficacious natural enemies, is an effective management tool for permanently suppressing invasive pest populations over vast areas, often to levels that may no longer cause economic or environmental damage. However, introduction biological control programs are reactive: they are only initiated after an invasive pest has established, spread, and is causing damage that requires mitigation. Host specificity and host range testing of natural enemies for use in an introduction biological control program against an invasive pest can take years to complete. During this time, the target pest population continues to increase, invades new areas, and inflicts damage. Proactive biological control research programs identify prior to their establishment pest species that have high invasion potential and are likely to cause economic or environmental damage once established. Natural enemies are selected, screened, and if sufficiently host-specific, approved for release in advance of the anticipated establishment of the target pest. Following detection of the target pest and determination that incipient populations cannot be eradicated, natural enemies already approved for release are liberated into infested areas. This proactive approach to introduction biological control could significantly reduce project development time post-invasion, thereby lessening opportunities for pest populations to build, spread, and cause damage.

Combination of the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana and the plant compound eugenol against the Rhipicephalus microplus tick: mortality, morphological alterations and ovarian lipid profile - Julie Rhanna Tavares Ferreira; Ricardo de Oliveira Barbosa Bitencourt; Isabele da Costa Angelo; Luis Antônio Scalabrin Tondo; Pamella Pryscila de Alvarenga Bisso Lima; Patricia Silva Golo; Renata da Silva Matos; Daniel Guimarães Ubiali; Vânia Rita Elias Pinheiro Bittencourt (BioControl, 2024)

Ecology and management of the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei): the potential of biological control - Natalia Moreno-Ramirez; Felix J. J. A. Bianchi; Maria R. Manzano; Marcel Dicke (BioControl, 2024)
Coffee is an important commodity in Latin America that is grown by smallholder farmers and large-scale coffee producers. The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) is a major pest of coffee that originates from West Africa and has invaded all coffee-producing regions. With climate change, the problems that this beetle poses to coffee production are expected to increase. Controlling this pest is a true challenge and chemical insecticides still are one of the main tools used, despite the environmental and human-health issues associated with this approach. To find sustainable alternatives for chemical control of the coffee berry borer, classical biological control, augmentative biological control, and integrated pest management have received extensive attention. Parasitoids, predators, entomopathogenic fungi, and nematodes have been identified and studied for their potential to manage the infestations of this major coffee pest. Conservation biological control has recently gained more attention, but its development is still in its infancy. In this review, we examine strategies for the control of the coffee berry borer in Latin America. We identify knowledge gaps for developing sustainable biological control programs, including conservation biological control within the context of farming systems, land use in the surrounding landscape, as well as the vision of coffee growers.

Niche partitioning association of fungal genera correlated with lower Fusarium and fumonisin-B1 levels in maize - Bwalya Katati; Anne D. van Diepeningen; Henry Njapau; Paul W. Kachapulula; Bas J. Zwaan; Sijmen E. Schoustra (BioControl, 2024)
Through partitioning of ecological niches, several fungi are able to coexist on the same host crop. In (partial) absence of niche partitioning, competitive exclusion among fungi can occur. Competitive exclusion is one of the bases for biocontrol. We investigated fungal correlations, in terms of relative abundance of the fungi, in pre-harvest maize, as a natural ecosystem model. Internal mycobiome fungal relative abundance of maize was used to establish correlations. The maize had been harvested from dry and wet agro-ecological zones of Zambia. The relative abundances of the fungal genera were determined using DNA amplicon sequencing. For this study, positive or absence of correlations between fungal genera signified good niche partitioning (co-existence), whereas negative correlations signified poor niche partitioning and potential for competitive exclusion. When species compete within one niche (competitive exclusion), we may expect to detect higher levels of mycotoxins—since mycotoxins are considered antagonistic agents aimed at defending or invading an ecological niche. To estimate the importance of mycotoxins in competitive exclusion, we measured the influence of the fungal correlations on levels of fumonisin-B1 (FB1) in the maize. FB1 data were derived from a previous study on the maize, determined by HPLC. Results showed that Sarocladium and Stenocarpella had the strongest significant negative correlation with Fusarium , suggesting poor niche partitioning and potential for antagonism of these genera with Fusarium . Furthermore, higher levels of Stenocarpella resonated with lower levels of FB1 and vice versa. It was also observed that, when Sarocladium was in low abundance ( 100 µg kg −1 ) in the pre-harvest maize was highest.

Cold tolerance of the mealybug parasitoid Anagyrus vladimiri - Florence Gilliéron; Jörg Romeis; Jana Collatz (BioControl, 2024)
We investigated the lower thermal limits of Anagyrus vladimiri Triapitsyn (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), a natural enemy of mealybugs. Parasitoids were cooled to measure supercooling points and the lower lethal temperature LLT 50 . To investigate survival after long-term cold exposure, parasitoid adults and eggs, larvae, and pupae within their host mummy were gradually acclimated. Adults were then exposed for three days to 7 °C, 5 °C, 3 °C, and 1 °C, and immatures for varying durations to 5, 1, and − 4 °C. Parasitoids were investigated for survival and reproduction. To assess the impact of fluctuating temperature, parasitoid pupae were subjected to daily warming to 10 °C from baseline temperatures of 5 °C, 1 °C, and − 4 °C during four-day-cold exposure. Finally, eggs, pupae and adults were exposed to winter conditions in Switzerland in a semi-field setup. The LLT 50 was − 17.24 °C for adults and 0.94 °C for pupae. Both values were above the supercooling points. No adult survived three days at 3 °C and lower. Likewise, no emergence occurred from eggs or larvae exposed for four days and longer to 1 °C or seven days to 5 °C. Pupae were cold-hardier surviving seven days at 5 °C and three days at 1 °C. Parasitoids surviving cold exposure were still able to reproduce. Daily warming decreased emergence of cold exposed pupae at a baseline temperature of 1 °C but not at 5 °C and − 4 °C. No eggs, pupae and adults survived winter conditions in the semi-field experiment. We thus consider A. vladimiri a chill-susceptible species with very limited cold-tolerance of the investigated population and low chances of survival during winter in Northern Switzerland.

Production improvement and photoprotection of melanin produced by Bacillus thuringiensis - Baoju An; Yunda Zhan; Qian Cheng; Jun Cai; Xiaofei Gu (BioControl, 2024)

Seasonal changes in aphid hyperparasitoid occurrence in sweet pepper and raspberry in Belgium - Francine A. C. van Neerbos; A. Alhmedi; L. Van Herck; E. Van Erkel; R. M. J. De Vis; R. Clymans; T. Beliën; H. Jacquemyn; B. Lievens (BioControl, 2024)

Prey killing rate of a generalist predator may be enhanced by macronutrient manipulation - Søren Toft; Constança Albuquerque; Nina Degn; Hjalte Kjærby; Sarah Kyneb (BioControl, 2024)
Generalist arthropod predators forage not only to gain energy and nutrients, but also to obtain a balanced intake of macronutrients (the intake target). We test two opposite hypotheses concerning the predation rate of nutritionally imbalanced predators: It will increase (1) if the prey is rich in macronutrients that the predator is short of, or (2) if the prey is low in macronutrients that the predator is short of. We used the wolf spider Pardosa amentata (Clerck) as the predator and nutritionally manipulated Drosophila melanogaster Meigen as prey. We completed a full factorial experiment with eight treatment groups, in which we measured predation, consumption and prey utilization of high-protein (HP) and high-lipid (HL) flies by spiders that were previously treated with either HP- or HL-flies for two or six days. The results supported hypothesis 2. Whether spiders had been previously fed HP-or HL-flies, those that were tested against the same type of fly killed more than those tested against the opposite type of fly. A likely explanation for this result is that the predator will be unable to reach its macronutritional intake target by continued feeding on the same prey. It will stay nutritionally imbalanced and continue to catch prey in an attempt to redress its imbalance. In natural systems, predation rates may thus be increased by the widespread mismatch between predators’ nutritional demands and what is available in prey. In practical biological control, it suggests a beneficial effect of feeding the predator prior to release with the pest it is intended to control.

Interspecific competition and comparative cold tolerance in two egg parasitoids of sunn pest, Eurygaster integriceps - Shahzad Iranipour; J. P. Michaud; M. Najafipour; S. Khaghaninia (BioControl, 2024)

Entomopathogenic nematodes to control the hibiscus bud weevil Anthonomus testaceosquamosus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), above ground and on soil surface - German Vargas; Yisell Velazquez-Hernandez; A. Daniel Greene; Xiangbing Yang; Alexandra M. Revynthi (BioControl, 2024)

Efficacy of a mirid predator and an eulophid parasitoid to the tomato potato psyllid Bactericera cockerelli control on pepper plants - Alejandro O. Guzmán-Pedraza; Ana Mabel Martínez; Ángel Rebollar-Alviter; Luis J. Palma-Castillo; Sinue I. Morales-Alonso; Juan M. Chavarrieta-Yáñez; José I. Figueroa; Samuel Pineda (BioControl, 2024)

Integration of inherited sterility and inoculative releases of a miridae predator for the control of the tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta - Lucas Candás; Cynthia L. Cagnotti; Silvia N. López (BioControl, 2024)

Silage pathogens and biological control agents: effects, action mechanisms, challenges and prospects - Huifang Jiang; Charles Obinwanne Okoye; Yanfang Wu; Lu Gao; Xia Li; Yongli Wang; Jianxiong Jiang (BioControl, 2024)

Two insecticidal neurotoxins from parasitoid wasp Habrobracon hebetor venom and their potential use in biocontrol - Sergey A. Timofeev; Anastasia G. Shukhalova; Igor V. Senderskiy; Galina V. Mitina; Philipp B. Gannibal; Viacheslav V. Dolgikh (BioControl, 2024)