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Title Native Philippine Heterorhabditis indica isolates from banana and rice fields and preliminary results of their virulence against the larvae of super worm (Zophobas morio Fabricius Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)
Posted by Nanette Hope Sumaya
Authors Mara Louisa Navarez, Regina Sangcopan, Sitaram Aryal, Neil Pep Dave Sumaya, Aashaq Hussain Bhat & Nanette Hope Sumaya
Publication date 2021/3/4
Journal Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control
Volume 31
Issue 46
Pages 1-10
Publisher Springer
Abstract Background Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) of the families Heterorhabditidae and Steinernematidae are used as biological control agents of several insect pests in lieu of synthetic pesticides. Results Using an insect-baiting technique, naturally occurring EPN isolates were collected from banana and rice fields in the municipality of Hagonoy, the Philippines. A total of 4 isolates were recovered from all the sites namely, HBP1, HBP2, HR3 and HR4. By combining morphometrical and ITS rDNA data, all the isolates were identified as Heterorhabditis indica. To initially assess their infectivity, virulence tests were conducted on the last instar larvae of the super worm, Zophobas morio Fabricius (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), the model insect. HR3 isolate had the highest percentage mortality (56%), followed by HBP1 and HBP2 (33%), which were comparable to the available nematode in the market, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (44%), whereas the lowest was obtained in HR4 isolate (11%). Conclusions This study accounted 4 more H. indica isolates in addition to pre-existing isolates in the country, expanding its habitat range and geographic distribution. This also provides baseline information on the potential biocontrol utilization of native EPNs against soil-dwelling insect pests of agricultural crops. Further investigations are required to assess their efficacy against several other insect pests of economic importance for the integrated pest management (IPM) programmes in the country.
Index terms / Keywords Heterorhabditis indica, Native isolates, Biocontrol, Zophobas morio, Virulence
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/s41938-021-00388-4
URL https://ejbpc.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s41938-021-00388-4