Mass production of eight Pakistani strains of entomopathogenic nematodes (Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditidae)

Abstract

Eight nematode species of the genera Steinernema and Heterorhabditis viz., Steinernema pakistanense, S. asiaticum, S. abbasi, S. siamkayai, S. carpocapsae, S. feltiae, Heterorhabditis indica and H. bacteriophora were cultured in vivo on three insect species, in vitro on soya flour, wheat flour, lipid media, corn flour and on assemblage culture on Galleria mellonella larva and lipid modified media for mass scale to assess their production potential. On in vivo culture at the highest concentration the production of infective juveniles were 60 × 10 4 to 87.4 × 10 4 IJs from each larva of G. mellonella 4.2 × 10 4 to 9.8 × 10 4 IJs from each adult of Callosobruchus chinensis and 0.3 × 10 4 to 1.7 × 10 4 IJs from each larva of Tribolium castaneum. Soya flour medium gave the highest population as compared to other media. The minimum multiplication was found in corn flour medium. As compared to cultured separately, the production of infecti ve juveniles increased approximately two fold in assemblage medium. In vivo production of IJs in G. mellonella larvae and in vitro soya flour medium were also exposed to four different temperatures. Maximum production of all other species was found at 32 ± 2 ÌŠC, except S. feltiae which gave highest production at 20 ± 2ºC. The present investigation can be valuable for selecting strains of entomopathogenic nematodes for mass production on large scale to provide protection to crops against insects.