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Entomopathogenic nematodes and the sugarcane billbug, Sphenophorus levis- Nematode Information

Sugarcane is grown as an important cash crop in many countries but insect pests like the sugarcane billbug, Sphenophorus levis can cause a tremendous yield loss to this crop. Entomopathogenic nematodes have a great potential to use as a biological control agent against the sugarcane bill bugs. Recently, Giometti et al. (2011) reported that entomopathogenic nematodes including Steinernema brazilense strain IBCB n6 and three strains of Heterorhabditis sp. (IBCB n10, IBCB n24 and IBCB n44) were highly virulent causing over 60% mortality of adults of the sugarcane billbug. Sphenophorus levis.  

Publications:

Giometti, FHC, Leite, LG., Tavares, FM., Schmit, F.S., Batista, A. and Dell’Acqua, R. 2011.  Virulence of entomopathogenic nematodes (Nematoda: Rhabditida) against Sphenophorus levis (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).   Bragantia 70: 81-86.

An entomopathogenic nematode in a soil sample collected from a natural forest in Mato Grosso do Sul state, Brazil was described using both morphological and molecular characteristics as a new species “Steinernema brazilense (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae)” (Nguyen et al., 2010).

Reference:

Nguyen, K.B., Ginarte, C.M.A., Leite, L.G., dos Santos, J.M. and Harakava, R. 2010. Steinernema brazilense n. sp (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae), a new entomopathogenic nematode from Mato Grosso, Brazil. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 103: 8-20.