Archive

Recently, Hyrsl et al. (2011) demonstrated that the common fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster as an immune response can form the blood (hemolymph) clots and protect against infection by an entomopathogenic nematode (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora) and its symbiotic bacterium (Photorhabdus luminescens).

Read following papers for more information on the interaction between fruit fly and entomopathogenic nematodes.

Hyrsl, P., Dobes, P., Wang, Z., Hauling, T., Wilhelmsson, C. and Theopold, U. 2011. Clotting Factors and Eicosanoids Protect against Nematode Infections.  Journal of Innate Immunity 3: 65-70.

A survey conducted during 2006 and 2008 showed the presence of both heterorhabditid and steinernematid nematodes in the Arasbaran forests and rangelands, Iran.  Based on both morphological and molecular characteristics, heterorhabditid isolates were identified as Heterorhabditis bacteriophora whereas the steinernematid isolates were identified as Steinerenma carpocapsae, S. bicornutum, S. feltiae, S. glaseri, S. kraussei.

For more information on the survey methodology nematode identification techniques read following paper.

Nikdel, M., Niknam, G., Griffin, C.T. and Kary, N.E. 2010. Diversity of entomopathogenic nematodes (Nematoda: Steinernematidae, Heterorhabditidae) from Arasbaran forests and rangelands in north-west Iran.  Nematology 12: 767-773.

Biological control of sheep lice, Bovicola ovis with entomopathogenic nematodes

Four entomopathogenic nematodes including Steinernema carpocapsae, Steinernema riobrave, Steinernema feltiae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora have showed a very high efficacy against sheep lice, Bovicola ovis when tested under laboratory conditions at different incubation temperatures (James et al., 2010).  However,  the efficacy all the four species of entomopathogenic nematodes varied with the nematode species and incubation temperature.

For more information on the interaction between entomopathogenic nematodes and sheep lice read following paper.

1. James, P. J., Hook, S.E. and Pepper, P. M. 2010. In vitro infection of sheep lice (Bovicola ovis Schrank) by Steinernematid and Heterorhabditid nematodes.   Veterinary Parasitology    174: 85-91.

The grape root borer, Vitacea polistiformis is one of economically important pests of grapes in eastern USA.  Larva stages of this insect feed on grape roots and can cause severe economic damage to the commercial grape industry by killing entire vineyards.  Beneficial nematodes have potential to use as biological control agent to target both larval and pupal stages of root borers.  It has been demonstrated that the beneficial nematodes including Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, H. zealandica and Steinernema carpocapsae can cause over 70% mortality of grape root borer larvae under laboratory conditions (Williams et al., 2002).

Read following paper for more information on interaction between beneficial nematodes and grape root borer.

Williams, R.N., Fickle, D.S., Grewal, P.S. and Meyer, J.R. 2002.  Assessing the potential of entomopathogenic nematodes to control the grape root borer, Vitacea polistifirmis (Lepidiptera: Sesiidae) thorough laboratory bioassays. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 12: 35-42. 

Efficacy of entomopathogenic nematodes including Heterorhabditis bacteriophora CLO51 strain, H. megidis VBM30 strain, H. indica, Steinernema scarabaei, S. feltiae, S. arenarium, S. carpocapsae Belgian strain, S. glaseri Belgian and NC strains was tested against larval pupal stages a white grub, Hoplia philanthus under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, H. megidis and both strains of S. glaseri showed highest virulence against third stage larvae and pupae whereas Belgium strain of S. glaseri showed high virulence against second stage larvae of H. philanthus under laboratory conditions whereas H. bacteriophora, Belgium strains of S. glaseri and S. scarabaei showed high virulence to third stage than second stage larvae of white grubs under greenhouse conditions.

Reference:

Ansari, M.A., Adhikari, B.N., Ali, F. and Moens, M. 2008. Susceptibility of Hoplia philanthus (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) larvae and pupae to entomopathogenic nematodes (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae, Heterorhabditidae). Biological Control. 47: 315-321.

Efficacies of two biological control agents including entomopathogenic fungus (Metarhizium anisopliae) and insect-parasitic nematode (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora) against western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera was compared with two insecticides including Tefluthrin (synthetic pyrethroid compound) and clothianidin (neonicotinoid compound).  According to Pilz et al (2009), insect-parasitic nematode,  H. bacteriophora was as effective as both insecticides in reducing population of the western corn rootworm.

Reference:

Pilz, C., Keller, S., Kuhlmann, U. and Toepfer, S. 2009.  Comparative efficacy assessment of fungi, nematodes and insecticides to control western corn rootworm larvae in maize.  Biocontrol. 54: 671-684.

Recently, McGraw et al (2010) demonstrated that field application of three species of entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernema carpocapsae, S. feltiae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora) at rate of 2.5 billion nematodes/hectare reduced over 69% population of first generation late instars of the annual bluegrass weevil, Listronotus maculicollis.

For more information on the interaction between entomopathogenic nematodes and the annual bluegrass weevil read following literature.

McGraw, B.A. and Koppenhofer A.M. 2008.  Evaluation of two endemic and five commercial entomopathogenic nematode species (Rhabditida : Heterorhabditidae and Steinernematidae) against annual bluegrass weevil (Coleoptera : Curculionidae) larvae and adults. Biological Control. 46: 467-475.

McGraw, B.A. and Koppenhofer A.M. 2009.  Population dynamics and interactions between endemic entomopathogenic nematodes and annual bluegrass weevil populations in golf course turfgrass. Applied Soil Ecology. 41: 77-89.

McGraw, B.A., Vittum, P.J., Cowles, R.S. and Koppenhofer A.M. 2010.  Field evaluation of entomopathogenic nematodes for the biological control of the annual bluegrass weevil, Listronotus maculicollis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in golf course turfgrass. Biocontrol Science and Technology. 20: 149-163.

It has been demonstrated that that application of an entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora can reduce the population of the western corn rootworm Diabrotica virgifera virgifera in the field and thus reducing the damage caused by this insect pest to corn roots and preventing subsequent lodging of plants (Stefan et al., 2010).

References:

Stefan, T., Ibolya, H.Z., Ehlers, R.U., Peters, A. and Kuhlmann, U. 2010.  The effect of application techniques on field-scale efficacy: can the use of entomopathogenic nematodes reduce damage by western corn rootworm larvae? Agricultural and Forest Entomology. 12: 389-402.

The data presented by Abd-Elgawad et al., at the 49th Annual meeting of the Society of Nematlogists held from July 11-14, 2010 in Boise, Idaho clearly demonstrated that the application of two species of entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernema riobrave and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora) in the soil significantly reduced the emergence of adults Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata when  compared with the untreated control.

It has been reported that the entomopathogenic nematodes including Steinernema carpocapsae, S. feltiae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora when applied at rate of 2.5 billion infective juveniles/ha can cause 69- 94% mortality of first generation late instars of annual bluegrass weevil, Listronotus maculicollis. Of the 3 species of entomopathogenic nematodes, S. feltiae showed higher virulence against annual bluegrass weevil than the other two nematode species (see McGraw et al., 2010).

Read following research papers for more information on interaction between entomopathogenic nematodes and annual bluegrass weevil, L. maculicollis.

McGraw, B.A., Vittumb, P.J. Cowlesc, R.S.and Koppenhoumlfera, A.M. 2010.  Field evaluation of entomopathogenic nematodes for the biological control of the annual bluegrass weevil, Listronotus maculicollis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), in golf course turfgrass. Journal Biocontrol Science and Technology. 20: 149 – 163.