Insecticides

Seven reasons to use beneficial nematodes as safer alternatives to pesticides /  by Ganpati Jagdale

Why beneficial nematodes are safer alternatives to pesticides- Nematodeinformation

To control insect pests in your organic garden, beneficial entomopathogenic nematodes are safer alternatives to chemical insecticides because.......

  1. Beneficial nematodes and their symbiotic bacterium have no detrimental effects on animals and plants.
  2. Both nematodes and their symbiotic bacteria do not cause any harm to the personnel involved in their production and application.
  3. Entomopathogenic nematode treated agriculture products are safe to handle and eat.
  4. Entomopathogenic nematodes and symbiotic bacteria do not have any pathogenic effects on humans or animals.
  5. When applied in the soil, entomopathogenic nematodes have also no negative effect on beneficial nematodes (bacteriovore, fungivore, omnivore and predatory) and other microbial communities.
  6. Entomopathogenic nematodes are also not harmful to the economically important beneficial insects such as honeybees.
  7. Finally, entomopathogenic nematodes are non-polluting and thus environmentally safe.

Insecticidal and antimicrobial compounds from Xenorhabdus budapestensis /  by Ganpati Jagdale

It has been reported that an entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema bicornutum is effective against western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Ebssa et al., 2004) and western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Toepfer et al., 2005).  The infective juveniles of S. bicornutum carry symbiotic bacteria, Xenorhabdus budapestensis in their gut (Lengyel et al., 2005) and use them to kill their insect host.

Read More

Compatibility of entomopathogenic nematodes with chemical pesticides /  by Ganpati Jagdale

Recently, Radova (2011) reported that the chemical pesticide fenpyroximate showed no adverse effect on virulence of entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora but it reduced the virulence of Steinernema feltiae against the insect called mealworm Tenebrio molitor under laboratory conditions. For more information, read following papers on related topics

Garcia-Del-Pino, F. and Morton, A. 2010.  Synergistic effect of the herbicides glyphosate and MCPA on survival of entomopathogenic nematodes  Biocontrol Science and Technology.  20: 483-488.

Gutierrez, C., Campos-Herrera, R. and Jimenez, J. 2008.  Comparative study of the effect of selected agrochemical products on Steinernema feltiae (Rhabditida : Steinernematidae).  Biocontrol Science and Technology.  18: 101-108.

Negrisoli, A.S., Garcia, M.S., Negrisoli, C.R.C.B. 2010a.  Compatibility of entomopathogenic nematodes (Nematoda: Rhabditida) with registered insecticides for Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) under laboratory conditions.  Crop Protection 29: 545-549.

Negrisoli, A.S., Garcia, M.S., Negrisoli, C.R.C.B., Bernardi, D. and da Silva, A. 2010b.  Efficacy of entomopathogenic nematodes (Nematoda: Rhabditida) and insecticide mixtures to control Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in corn. Crop Protection. 29: 677-683.

Radova, S.  2011.  Effects of selected pesticides on survival and virulence of two nematode species. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies.  20: 181-185.

Entomopatogenic nematodes are compatible with many insecticides /  by Ganpati Jagdale

Recently, Negrisoli et al. (2010) demonstrated that entomopathogenic nematodes including Heterorhabditis indica, Steinernema carpocapsae and Steinernema glaseri were found to be compatible with many insecticides including chlorpyrifos, deltamethrin, lufenuron, deltramethrin + triazophos, diflubenzuron, gamacyhalothrin, lambdacyhalothrin, spinosad, cypermethrin, triflumuron, and permethrin under laboratory conditions. Read following paper for more information compatibility of entomopathogenic nematodes with insecticides.

Negrisoli, A.S., Garcia, M.S., Negrisoli, C.R.C.B. 2010.  Compatibility of entomopathogenic nematodes (Nematoda: Rhabditida) with registered insecticides for Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) under laboratory conditions.  Crop Protection 29: 545-549.