BioControl (2004) 49, 285-294
Otto Nielsen and Holger Philipsen (2004)
Recycling of entomopathogenic nematodes in Delia radicum and in other insects from cruciferous crops
BioControl 49 (3), 285-294
Abstract: Larvae of Delia radicum Linnaeus (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) were exposed to Steinernema feltiae Filipjev (Rhabditida) to study the ability of the nematodes to fulfill their life cycle (recycle) in this host. In addition, the recycling of Steinernema and Heterorhabditis (Rhabditida) species was studied in larvae of the following insects: Meligethes spp. Stephens (Coleoptera: Nitidulidae), Dasyneura brassicae Winnertz (Diptera: Cecidomyidae), Ceutorrhynchus assimilis Paykull, C. pallidactylus Marsham (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Mamestra brassicae Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). All larval instars of D. radicum were studied (larvae live and pupate in soil) whereas the final instars of the remaining insects were studied (larvae only pupate in soil). On average, the following numbers of infective juveniles were produced in the different hosts: 1,200-1,400 in C. assimilis; 700-1,300 in Meligethes spp. and 47,000 in M. brassicae. In D. radicum, around 400 infective juveniles were produced on average in the smallest larvae and around 3,500 in the largest larvae. The highest number of nematodes recorded in a D. radicum larva (third instar) was 9,500 infective juveniles. The number of nematodes produced in D. radicum cadavers was positively related to the size of the insect host, but large variation was observed.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Otto Nielsen
Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution
population dynamics/epizootiology
