Efficacy of the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora using different application methods in the presence or absence of a natural enemy

Authors : RAMALINGAM KARTHIK RAJA, CANAN HAZIR, Arife GÜMÜŞ, CEM ASAN, MEHMET KARAGÖZ, SELÇUK HAZIR

Pages : 277-285

Doi:10.3906/tar-1410-33

View : 15 | Download : 6

Publication Date : 2015-04-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Various application methods for the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora were evaluated under laboratory and field conditions. Four different methods of applying the infective juveniles insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(IJs); of the nematode to soil were assessed including insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1); insect cadavers insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(referred to as nematode-infected cadavers);, insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(2); subsurface injection, insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(3); spraying, and insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(4); drip irrigation. In the laboratory experiment, except for the control with no nematodes, all treatments showed more than 95% insect mortality of the bait insect insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Galleria mellonella); with no significant differences among treatments. The same experimental setup was conducted with the introduction of mites, Sancassania polyphyllae insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Acari: Acaridae);, which are natural enemies of entomopathogenic nematodes. The treatment groups with mites and the control group without mites showed more than 87% insect mortality and no significant differences were observed. The nematode-infected cadaver application method was further evaluated by using cadavers of different ages containing H. bacteriophora IJs in the presence of mites. Larval mortality of the bait insect was significantly lower when 3- or 6-day-old nematode-insect cadavers were used in the presence of mites. Different application methods were also tested in a corn field. No significant differences were observed among the application methods. Our results indicate that the different application methods had no significant effect on larval mortality, but the presence of mites had a negative effect on the cadaver application when the cadavers were 3 days old but had no significant effect when the cadavers were 6 and 9 days old.
Keywords : Application methods, biological control, entomopathogenic nematode, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora