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Radio-sterilized Spodoptera litura (Fabr.) as a conducive host for in vivo safe trans­port of viable entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema thermophilum as potential parasitoids


Affiliations
1 Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, North Campus, Delhi 110 007, India
 

The potential of a radio-sterilized host, Spodoptera litura (Fabr.), an established noctuid pest, was ascertained for in vivo transport of the viable entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), Steinernema thermophilum. Radio-sterilization (70 Gy) of the host (pest) was done to avoid any pest population build-up from the host larvae that could inadvertently miss EPN infection. The infective juveniles (IJs) derived from a radio-sterilized host took 67.3 h to induce host mortality, 132 h for incubation, and showed 87.8% parasitization with 98.9 IJs har-vesting per mg host body wt, indicating almost similar parasitizing behaviour of these IJs as control. The findings indicated the suitability of the radio-sterilized host, S. litura, for carrying the IJs (in vivo) in a safe mode, that could retain a substantial degree of infecti-vity to be utilized in the field for managing this serious noctuid pest using biocontrol measures.

Keywords

Biocontrol agents, entomopathogenic nema-todes, host irradiation, pest management, Spodoptera litura, Steinernema thermophilum.
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  • Radio-sterilized Spodoptera litura (Fabr.) as a conducive host for in vivo safe trans­port of viable entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema thermophilum as potential parasitoids

Abstract Views: 325  |  PDF Views: 140

Authors

Simran Arora
Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, North Campus, Delhi 110 007, India
Priya Yadav
Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, North Campus, Delhi 110 007, India
Ranjana Seth
Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, North Campus, Delhi 110 007, India
Yogendra Singh
Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, North Campus, Delhi 110 007, India
R. K. Seth
Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, North Campus, Delhi 110 007, India

Abstract


The potential of a radio-sterilized host, Spodoptera litura (Fabr.), an established noctuid pest, was ascertained for in vivo transport of the viable entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), Steinernema thermophilum. Radio-sterilization (70 Gy) of the host (pest) was done to avoid any pest population build-up from the host larvae that could inadvertently miss EPN infection. The infective juveniles (IJs) derived from a radio-sterilized host took 67.3 h to induce host mortality, 132 h for incubation, and showed 87.8% parasitization with 98.9 IJs har-vesting per mg host body wt, indicating almost similar parasitizing behaviour of these IJs as control. The findings indicated the suitability of the radio-sterilized host, S. litura, for carrying the IJs (in vivo) in a safe mode, that could retain a substantial degree of infecti-vity to be utilized in the field for managing this serious noctuid pest using biocontrol measures.

Keywords


Biocontrol agents, entomopathogenic nema-todes, host irradiation, pest management, Spodoptera litura, Steinernema thermophilum.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.18520/cs%2Fv123%2Fi6%2F791-796