Journal of Nematology (2018) 50 (4 - 050)

Shiyu Zhen, Yang Li, Yanli Hou, Xinghui Gu, Limeng Zhang, Weibin Ruan and David Shapiro-Ilan (2018)
Enhanced entomopathogenic nematode yield and fitness via addition of pulverized insect powder to solid media
Journal of Nematology 50 (4 - 050)
Abstract: Beneficial nematodes are used as biological control agents. Low-cost mass production of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) is an important prerequisite toward their successful commercialization. EPNs can be grown via in vivo methods or in sold or liquid fermentation. For solid and liquid approaches, media optimization is paramount to maximizing EPN yield and quality. In solid media, the authors investigated the effects of incorporating pulverized insect powder from larvae of three insects (Galleria mellonella, Tenebrio molitor, and Lucillia sericata) at three dose levels (1, 3, and 5%). The impact of insect powder was assessed on infective juvenile (IJ) yield in solid media. Additionally, IJs produced in solid culture were subsequently assessed for virulence, and progeny production in a target insect, Spodoptera litura. The dose level of larval powder had a significant effect on IJ yield in both trials, whereas insect type had significant effect on IJ yield in trial 1 but not in trial 2. The maximum solid culture yield was observed in T. molitor powder at the highest dose in both trials. Moreover, the time-to-death in S. litura was substantially shortened in trial 1 and in trial 2 when IJs from the T. molitor powder treatment were applied. There was no significant effect of combining two insect powders relative to addition of powder from a single insect species. These findings indicate that addition of insect powder to solid media leads to high mass production yields, and the fitness of the IJs produced (e.g., in virulence and reproductive capacity) can be enhanced as well.
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Database assignments for author(s): David I. Shapiro-Ilan

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
rearing/culturing/mass production

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Spodoptera litura
Steinernema feltiae/Xenorhabdus bovienii (entomopathogen)	Spodoptera litura