ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODES FOR BIOLOGICAL CONTROL

2. ENTOMOPATHOGENIC
NEMATODES
FOR BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
Presented by
Om Prakash Barik
BSc. (Hons.) Ag.
College Of Horticulture, KAU
Guided By
Dr.Gavas Ragesh
Assistant Professor, Entomology
Banana Research Station, Kannara
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3. INTRODUCTION
• Among the various pests and diseases that damage
crops, plant parasitic nematodes present a
formidable pest problem for different crops.
• Annual loss in 24 crops due to economically
important nematodes was estimated to the tune of
Rs. 21068 million per annum. (AICRP on
Nematodes in Cropping System, Annual Report
2018-19)
• But there are several nematodes which can be used
to protect crop from different insect pest which are
called as Entomopathogenic Nematodes (EPN)
which has ability to parasitize and kill insects.
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4. ENTOMOPATHOGENIC
NEMATODES
• Entomopathogenic Nematodes (EPNs) are
beneficial nematodes which has ability to parasitize
and kill insects.
• These nematodes are efficiently used as biocontrol
agents against a large number of insect pest of
cultivated crops.
• They are the excellent alternative for chemical
insecticides.
• They are the second largest selling biological
control products in the world after Bt.
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5. ADVANTAGES
• No adverse effect on humans, animals, birds, fishes
or to the environment.
• Obligate parasite of insect hosts only.
• Active host seeing ability.
• Wide host range.
• Quick knock down ability( 24-48 Hrs.)
• Ability to survive longer period without host.
• Easiness in mass production.
• Can be incorporated in IPM.
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• EPNs were first collected by Krausse in Germany
from an Hymenopteran sawfly in 1917.
• They are exempted from registration and regulation
requirement by Environment protection Agency
(EPA) of USA, Central Insecticide Board and
Registration Committee (CIB&RC) of India and
similar agencies of many other countries.
• The Common Wealth Scientific and Industrial
Research Organisation (CSIRO),Australia was the first
in the world to commercialize ENPs against Black
Vine Weevil in ornamentals and currant borer moth.
HISTORY

7. DIFFERENT ENTOMOPATHOGENIC
NEMATODES
Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus
Animals
Nematoda
(roundworms)
Chromadorea Rhabditida Steinernematidae Steinernema
Animals
Nematoda
(roundworms)
Chromadorea Rhabditida Heterorhabditidae Heterorhabditis
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8. LIFE CYCLE
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9. Infective juvenile stages of Steinernema carpocapsae clearly showing
protective sheath formed by retaining the second stage cuticle.
Photograph by James Kerrigan, University of Florida.
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10. NEMATODE-BACTERIA SYMBIOSIS
 Xenorhabdus sp.
 Photorhabdus sp
• Steinernematids- Xenorhabdus
• Heterorhabditis- Photorhabdus
(bioluminescent symbiont)
• The relationship between the parasitic nematodes
and the bacteria is highly specific.
• Symbiotic bacteria of both genera are motile, gram
negative and belonging to the family
Enterobacteriaceae.
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11. Symbiotic bacteria(Xenorhabdus sp.)
observed in intestinal tract of Steinernema sp.
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Symbiotic bacteria(Photorhabdus sp.)
stick together in the anterior part of Heterorhabditis sp. gut

13. • Cadaver with Heterorhabditis will be brick red and
those with Stenermatids will be yellow to brown
due to the presence of pigment in respective
bacteria.
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14. SEARCHING BEHAVIOUR
Entomopathogenic nematodes use two search strategies:
Ambushers
• Have an energy-conserving approach and lie-in-wait to
attack mobile insects in the upper soil such as army worm,
cutworm, etc.
Eg: Steinernema carpocapsae
Cruisers
• Highly active and generally subterranean, moving significant
distances to find their host underground. Therefore, they
are effective against less mobile pests such as white grubs
(Scarab beetles).
Eg: Steinernema glaseri and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora
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15. MASS PRODUCTION
• EPNs can be mass produced in vivo and on vitro
after collection and isolation from soil.
• The most common method is the in vivo
production by using the host as Greater wax
moth, Galleria mellonella larvae is natural a
serious pest of apiculture but it is also highly
susceptible to EPNs and suitable for rearing in
semi-synthetic diet and gives a high yield.
• In vitro mass production is achieved in solid and
liquid medium and has an advantage in terms of
economy in of scale over in vivo production.
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16. GREATER WAX MOTH
(Galleria mellonella)
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17. SEMI-SYNTHETIC DIET
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• Corn Flour
• Wheat Flour
• Rice Bran
• Milk Powder
• Yeast
• Honey
• Glycerol

18. OBTAINING WAX MOTH LARVAE
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ADULT MOTH IN A BOX
COVERED WITH CLOTH
EGG LAID IN THE BOX
BY THE ADULT MOTH

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LEFT OUT LARVAE ARE
USED FOR ADULT
PRODUCTION
COLLECTION OF LARVAE

20. Larvae Of Greater Wax Moth 20

21. ISOLATION OF NEMATODES FROM SOIL
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• Soil in Earthen Pots
• Petri plate with filter
paper on watch glass
and distilled water
• Nematode
culture in
distilled water

22. OBTAINING CADAVER
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Greater Wax Moth
Larvae
Filter Paper With
Nematode Culture
In Petriplate
Larva On The Filter
Paper With
Nematode Culture

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Arranged In Stakes Observation After 24hours Observation After 48hours
CADAVER

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25. USES
• EPNs effectively used- biocontrol agent against insect
orders viz., Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hemiptera,
Orthoptera, etc., provided there is sufficient oxygen and
water for movement of nematodes.
• IJs are available as –
 Cadaver
 Liquid formulations with UV protectant and stickers
The EPNs can be applied (if cadaver) in leaf axil and on soil
or as foliar spray, broadcast and using direct injection (if
liquid formulations is used).
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26. MANAGEMENT OF
WEEVIL PEST OF BANANA
• Production of banana is hindered by a numbers of
pest and diseases, out of with the weevil pest
(pseudostem weevil and rhizome weevil) is the
major factor causing a large destruction in
production of banana.
• In the era of chemical insecticides the biocontol
agents like EPNs are blessing to control the weevil
pest and to reduce the loss and increase the
production of banana.
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27. PSEUDOSTEM WEEVIL
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ADULT
DAMAGE SYMPTOMS

28. Application of Heterorhabditis for
biological control of banana
pseudostem weevil
• 4 infected Galleria cadavers per plant can be
applied at the leaf axis of midwhorl at 5th, 6th, and
7th month after planting as prophylactic control
measures.
• If holes along will frass material or jelly like
exudation are observed on pseudostem, inject
20ml of active IJs @1000IJs/ml into the holes as a
curative measure.
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29. RHIZOME WEEVIL
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ADULT DAMAGE SYMPTOMS

30. Application of Heterorhabditis for
biological control of banana rhizome
weevil
• Sucker treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescens
@20g/l + soil placement of cadaver infected with
EPNs @ 4infected cadaver/plant at planting,
followed by two applications at 2nd and 5th month
after planting.
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31. Farmers were also supplied with cadaver loaded with
EPNs for the successful management of –
•Root grub infesting coconut, arecanut and cardamom
•Cashew stem borer
•Pumpkin beetle grubs
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Application of EPNs for biological
control of other cultivated crops

32. OUTREACH TO FARMERS
• Though the use of EPNs in India has been limited till
now, few committed research works werw being
done at IARI, New Delhi, ICAR institutes and SAUs.
But worldwide, over 80 species of
entomopathogenic nematodes hav been identified
out of which 11 are commercillized.
• Banana Research Station, Kannara (AICRP on Fruits)
and Krishi Vigyen Kendra, Kollam under Kerala
Agricultural University are producing EPNs infected
wax moth larval cadavers and supplying to farmers
@ Rs.1.5/cadaver
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33. EPNs are the like the rain fall in the
desert of insecticides to protect the
crops from insect pest and lead
Kerala to become an Organic State.
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