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The article discusses carbon dioxide (CO2) measurement through an approach based on simple computation and biological samples production in ventilated chambers. It mentions the characterization and comparison of the compound's rate of generating materials for application in an insect trap towards attraction of wireworms. It also notes the production of wheat seed and processed oats through carbon respiration.

Environmental and behavioral factors that affect the infection of wireworms [Agriotes obscurus L. (Coleoptera: Elateridae)] by a unique isolate of Metarhiziuni anisopliac Sorokin (Hypocreales: Clavicipitaceae) were studied. After wireworms were placed in soil containing 106 M. anisopliae conidia/g and incubated at 6, 12, or 18°C, significant disease development and wireworm mortality occurred only in those wireworms incubated at 18°C. At this temperature, mortality was found to be dependant on the time exposed to the contaminated soil, and a minimum exposure time of 48 h was required to cause significant levels of mortality. Despite the restrictive effect of cooler temperatures on disease development and mortality, infected wireworms did not choose temperatures that inhibited disease development when given the opportunity to do so in a separate experiment. Finally, wireworms were repelled by M. anzsopliae-contaminated soil at a rate that increased with the soil conidia concentration, but the rate of emigration was reduced when a food source was present. The results of this study indicate that factors including temperature, time exposed to M. anisopliae, conidia soil concentration, and food availability will affect mortality rates of wireworms and are likely to affect field performance of M. anisopliae as a biological control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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We determined that spinosad interacts synergistically with the biocontrol agent Metarhizium anisopliae (Metch) Sorokin to increase the mortality of two wild-collected wireworm species, Agriotes lineatus (L.), and Agriotes obscurus (L.). Bioassays were performed using a M. anisopliae isolate originally acquired from a local wireworm cadaver. M. anisopliae was applied as a soil drench at 3.3 × 10² and 104 conidia per gram sand, respectively. Soil drenches also were prepared using a commercial formulation of the actinomycete toxins spinosyn-A and spinosyn-D (common name spinosad) at sublethal doses of 1.5,3, and 6 ppm active ingredient per gram sand. Combined treatments of spinosad and M. anisopliae were synergistic in causing mortality for all spinosad concentrations. Wireworm feeding activity was reduced after exposure to both spinosad and M. anisopliae and was found to be concentration dependent. The high mortality and reduced rate of wireworm feeding suggest that spinosad and M. anisopliae treatment combinations should be tested in the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]