Managing Grubs in Turf with Persistent Nematodes

Abstract

White grubs are the most prevalent insect pests of both high and low maintenance turfgrass in New York State. Grub control in turf with insecticides is complicated because the lower toxicity insecticides need to be applied before the need for their application can be assessed and the two labeled curative insecticides are highly toxic and have variable efficacy against white grubs. Demand is increasing among homeowners, grounds managers and golf course superintendents for low-impact grub control practices and products, such as biological control. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are the only effective biological control for grubs. With support of the NYSIPM Program, and the Battle Island State Park Golf Course, the feasibility of utilizing native NY EPNs which retain their ability to persist in the turf system to augment existing nematode populations to suppress grub populations over multiple years was tested in the summer/fall 2013. Fifteen fairways were divided down the middle and EPN combinations (S. carpocapsae x H. bacteriophora, S. feltiae x H. bacteriophora, and S. carpocapsae x S. feltiae) were applied to one-half of the length of each fairway (5 fairways/combination).