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The bamboo aphid, Pseudoregma bambucicola, is an important insect pest of bamboo that affects normal bamboo growth and induces sooty molds. The control of P. bambucicola involves the application of chemicals, such as imidacloprid, to which many species are resistant. In this study, we isolate a novel botanical pesticide (9-oxo-10,11-dehydro-ageraphorone) from an Eupatorium adenophorum(Asteraceae: Compositae) petroleum ether extract and test the aphicidal activity of this compound against P. bambucicola in laboratory bioassay and field-based experiments. This ageraphorone compound at a concentration of 2 mg/ml caused 73.33% mortality (corrected mortality [Subtracted the mortality of the negative control]: 70%) of P. bambucicola by laboratory bioassay within 6 h. Even at lower concentrations, this compound caused greater 33% mortality (corrected mortality: 30%) of aphids. Field experiments with naturally infested bamboo plants showed that two applications of 2 mg/ml ageraphorone to infested plants completely cleared infestations within 30 d. These effects were similar to those of the positive control (imidacloprid). These results reveal that 9-oxo-10,11-dehydro-ageraphorone exhibits significant aphicidal activity against bamboo aphids. We suggest that future research be directed at developing this ageraphorone compound from E. adenophorum as an aphicidal agent for biocontrol., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Entomological Society of America.)

Bamboo (Bambusa spp.) users in Laguna and Rizal, Philippines, were surveyed regarding their willingness to accept varying degrees of bamboo powderpost beetle, Dinoderus minutus (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae), damage. The efficacy of deltamethrin, permethrin, or disodium octaborate tetrahydrate in water or in kerosene was then assessed against beetles on freshly cut bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris Schrader ex Wendland). Adult D. minutus in groups of 100 were capable of inflicting 50% cross-sectional damage on 30-cm-long bamboo samples within a 4-wk test period. Deltamethrin (0.01% [AI]). in water or kerosene provided significantly better protection against D. minutus attack on bamboo for 5 wk than did all other treatments. The results from a survey were then used to assess the cost/benefit ratio for each prophylactic treatment. Successful prophylactic treatment provided up to a 12:1 return, illustrating the benefits of such treatments.