 | This article includes alist of references,related reading, orexternal links,but its sources remain unclear because it lacksinline citations. Please helpimprove this article byintroducing more precise citations.(July 2015) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Paenibacillus popilliae | |
|---|---|
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Bacteria |
| Kingdom: | Bacillati |
| Phylum: | Bacillota |
| Class: | Bacilli |
| Order: | Paenibacillales |
| Family: | Paenibacillaceae |
| Genus: | Paenibacillus |
| Species: | P. popilliae |
| Binomial name | |
| Paenibacillus popilliae Dutky 1941 | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Paenibacillus popilliae (formerlyBacillus popilliae) is a soil-dwelling,Gram-positive,rod-shapedbacterium. It is responsible for a disease (commonly calledmilky spore) of the white grubs ofJapanese beetles.
The adult Japanese beetlespupate in July (in the Northeast United States) and feed on flowers and leaves of shrubs and garden plants. During this adult stage, the beetles also mate and the females lay eggs in the soil in late July to early August. The eggs hatch soon afterwards and in thislarval or grub stage, they feed on the roots of grass and other plants. As the weather gets cooler and winter approaches, the grubs go deeper into the soil, and feeding declines as they over-winter.
In August, when the grubs are close to the surface and feeding, they are vulnerable to infestation by milky spore. This is also the optimal time frame for turf inoculation or applications with milky spore to increase milky spore in the soil environment (there are product specific guidelines that should be followed for milky spore application).
Resident spores in thesoil are swallowed by grubs during their normal pattern of feeding on roots. This ingestion of the spore by the host activates reproduction of the bacteria inside the grub. Within 7–21 days the grub will eventually die and as the grub decomposes, billions of new spores are released into the soil.
Milky spore in the soil is not harmful to beneficial insects, birds, bees, pets, or people; and milky spore, like other bacteria, is highly survivable in drought conditions but suffers in temperatures ofZone 5 and colder.[citation needed]