International Journal of Nematology (2005) 15, 9-16

J. Gulsar Banu, Khuong B. Nguyen and G. Rajendran (2005)
Occurrence and distribution of entomopathogenic nematodes in Kerala, India
International Journal of Nematology 15 (1), 9-16
Abstract: A survey of naturally occurring entomopathogenic nematodes was conducted throughout the 14 districts of Kerala State, India. Entomopathogenic nematodes were recovered from 12 out of 14 districts sampled with 55 positive sites (9.2%) out of 597 sites sampled. Heterorhabditids were found to occur more (6.7%) than steinernematids (2.5%). Baiting twice with fifth instar meal moth larva, Corcyra cephalonica increases the number of positive samples. All the 40 heterorhabditids were identified as Heterorhabditis indica and all steinernematids isolates were identified as Steinernema siamkayai based on morphometrics and molecular data. This is the first report on the occurrence of S. siamkayai from India. Steinernema glaseri (Steiner, 1929) was re-isolated from the rhizosphere of cardamom where it was introduced during 1995 to control white grubs (Basilepta fulvicorne). Both S. siamkayai and H. indica were found to be distributed in coastal, plain and hilly areas. H. indica occurred more in plain (14.0%) followed by coastal area (7.7%) but S. siamkayai was found more in hilly area (2.9%). Both steinernematid and heterorhabditids were recovered from both annual and perennial crops. They are widely distributed in areas receiving annual rainfall ranging from 1500-2000 to more than 3000 mm. Entomopathogenic nematodes were found to occur more in sandy loam soil (13.8%) than in sandy soil (10.0%).
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Database assignments for author(s): J. Gulsar Banu

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
surveys/distribution/isolation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
Heterorhabditis indica/Photorhabdus (entomopathogen)			India
Steinernema glaseri/Xenorhabdus poinarii (entomopathogen)			India
Steinernema siamkayai/Xenorhabdus stockiae (entomopathogen)			India