Biological control of phytophagous ladybird beetles Epilachna vigintioctopunctata (Col., Coccinellidae) by chitinolytic phylloplane bacteria Alcaligenes paradoxus entrapped in alginate beads

: The chitinase secreting strain KPM-012A of Alcaligenes paradoxus was isolated from tomato leaves and vitally entrapped in sodium alginate gel beads to provide a new method for biocontrol of phytophagous ladybird beetles Epilachna vigintioctopunctata. First, the peritrophic membrane was dissected from the adult ladybird beetles that ingested the suspension of KPM-012A after starvation to observe degradation of the midgut surface by the bacteria under electron microscopy. The peritrophic membrane around the bacteria was degraded, suggesting the release of chitinase from the ingested bacteria. Large amounts of chitinase were successfully released from KPM-012A-entrapped calcium alginate beads. This chitinase release from the microbial beads was sustained for 1 week and was sufficient to digest the peritrophic membrane. Daily supply of tomato leaves treated with the microbial beads caused considerable suppression of leaf feeding and oviposition by the adult ladybird beetles, indicating that this method is effective for decreasing population of insect pests in the subsequent generation. Thus, the present study provided an experimental basis for the biocontrol measures of herbivorous insect pests by the chitinolytic bacteria entrapped in alginate beads.