milky disease
noun
variants
or milky spore disease
: a destructive disease of scarab beetle grubs and especially Japanese beetle larvae that is caused by spore-producing bacteria (Paenibacillus popilliae or Bacillus lentimorbus) and is marked by an the opaque, milky appearance of the infected larvae
Note: Commercial preparations containing spores of the causative bacteria are used to cause milky disease in the biological control of Japanese beetle infestations.
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“Milky disease.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/milky%20disease. Accessed 29 Nov. 2024.
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