Efficacy of two entomopathogenic nematode species as potential biocontrol agents against the rosaceae longhorned beetle, Osphranteria coerulescens, under laboratory conditions

Rosaceae longhorned beetle, Osphranteria coerulescens, is an important pest of fruit trees that attacks all fruit trees belonging to the family Rosaceae in cold regions of Iran. The potential efficacy of two species of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN), Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steinernema carpocapsae, against last instar larvae of this pest was tested under laboratory conditions. In plate assays, the larvae were susceptible to both EPN species but were more susceptible to S. carpocapsae (65.0-97.5% mortality) than H. bacteriophora (42.5-87.8%). Both nematode species were able to penetrate and reproduce within O. coerulescens larvae, but reproduction rate for H. bacteriophora was higher than those of S. carpocapsae; however, the penetration rate for S. carpocapsae was greater than H. bacteriophora. In a migration test on agar plate, S. carpocapsae showed negligible attraction to the pest or to Galleria mellonella cues. However, H. bacteriophora was strongly attracted to the sector of Petri dishes containing larvae. In a test using apricot tree branches, both species of EPN passed from mass frass of O. coerulescens larvae in the tip of the branches, penetrated into the larval galleries, and located and killed the larvae of O. coerulescens in their natural habitat deep inside the branches. Our findings provide the first insight into the biocontrol efficacy of EPN against O. coerulescens larvae, and highlight their potential for the control of this pest. Field experiments are needed to evaluate their potential under the environmental conditions in which rosaceae longhorned beetle larvae are found.

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Transcriptional variation and divergence of host-finding behaviour in Steinernema carpocapsae infective juveniles

BMC Genomics ◽

10.1186/s12864-019-6179-y ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Neil D. Warnock ◽

Deborah Cox ◽

Ciaran McCoy ◽

Robert Morris ◽

Johnathan J. Dalzell

Keyword(s):

Galleria Mellonella ◽

Entomopathogenic Nematode ◽

Gene Families ◽

Nematode Species ◽

Host Finding ◽

Steinernema Carpocapsae ◽

Differentially Expressed ◽

Infective Juvenile ◽

Neuronal Genes ◽

Sodium Transporter

Abstract Background Steinernema carpocapsae is an entomopathogenic nematode that employs nictation and jumping behaviours to find potential insect hosts. Here we aimed to investigate the transcriptional basis of variant host-finding behaviours in the infective juvenile (IJ) stage of three S. carpocapsae strains (ALL, Breton and UK1), with a focus on neuronal genes known to influence behaviour in other nematode species. Identifying gene expression changes that correlate with variant host-finding behaviours will further our understanding of nematode biology. Results RNA-seq analysis revealed that whilst up to 28% of the S. carpocapsae transcriptome was differentially expressed (P < 0.0001) between strains, remarkably few of the most highly differentially expressed genes (> 2 log2 fold change, P < 0.0001) were from neuronal gene families. S. carpocapsae Breton displays increased chemotaxis toward the laboratory host Galleria mellonella, relative to the other strains. This correlates with the up-regulation of four srsx chemosensory GPCR genes, and a sodium transporter gene, asic-2, relative to both ALL and UK1 strains. The UK1 strain exhibits a decreased nictation phenotype relative to ALL and Breton strains, which correlates with co-ordinate up-regulation of neuropeptide like protein 36 (nlp-36), and down-regulation of an srt family GPCR gene, and a distinct asic-2-like sodium channel paralogue. To further investigate the link between transcriptional regulation and behavioural variation, we sequenced microRNAs across IJs of each strain. We have identified 283 high confidence microRNA genes, yielding 321 predicted mature microRNAs in S. carpocapsae, and find that up to 36% of microRNAs are differentially expressed (P < 0.0001) between strains. Many of the most highly differentially expressed microRNAs (> 2 log2 fold, P < 0.0001) are predicted to regulate a variety of neuronal genes that may contribute to variant host-finding behaviours. We have also found evidence for differential gene isoform usage between strains, which alters predicted microRNA interactions, and could contribute to the diversification of behaviour. Conclusions These data provide insight to the transcriptional basis of behavioural variation in S. carpocapsae, supporting efforts to understand the molecular basis of complex behaviours in nematodes.

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Activity of four entomopathogenic nematode species against young adults of Sitophilus granarius (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Oryzaephilus surinamensis (Coleoptera: Silvanidae) under laboratory conditions

Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection ◽

10.1007/bf03356175 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 113 (4) ◽

pp. 168-173 ◽

Cited By ~ 27

Author(s):

S. Trdan ◽

M. Vidrih ◽

N. Valic

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Entomopathogenic Nematode ◽

Nematode Species ◽

Sitophilus Granarius ◽

Oryzaephilus Surinamensis ◽

Laboratory Conditions

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Bionomics of the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema weiseri (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae)

Nematology ◽

10.1163/156854108785787307 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 10 (5) ◽

pp. 735-742 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Ipek Bazman ◽

Nurdan Ozer ◽

Selcuk Hazir

Keyword(s):

Galleria Mellonella ◽

Entomopathogenic Nematode ◽

Nematode Species ◽

Head Capsule ◽

Cold Temperatures ◽

Larval Stages ◽

Group 4 ◽

Group 2 ◽

New Generation ◽

Steinernema Weiseri

Abstract This study describes some important bio-ecological properties of Steinernema weiseri, a recently isolated entomopathogenic nematode species in Turkey. The effects of temperature on the infectivity and development of S. weiseri were determined at 5, 8, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30°C. The greatest and the fastest mortality of Galleria mellonella larvae was observed at 20 and 25°C (ca 2 days) and the slowest at 5°C in 11.5 days. The emergence time of the new generation of infective juveniles (IJ) from the host cadaver was shortest at 20 and 25°C (ca 9 days) and the longest at 8°C (ca 40 days). No progeny were observed at 5 and 30°C. At the tested temperatures, the lowest number of new generation IJ was obtained at 8 and 10°C and the highest at 15 and 20°C. The life cycle, determined at 23-24°C under laboratory conditions using G. mellonella as a host, took 9 days to complete. Our study suggests that the Turkish isolate of S. weiseri is adapted to cold temperatures. Steinernema weiseri has a wide host range and infects and develops well in larvae of Agrotis sp., Ceratitis capitata, Cydia splendana, Synanthedon vespiformis and Hoplocampa flava, but it infects and develops poorly in Polyphylla fullo. Larval stages of C. cossus were divided into four groups based on the diameter of their head capsules. Steinernema weiseri developed well in larval stages in Group 1 (the smallest head capsule) and Group 2 of Cossus cossus but, interestingly, very low infection and nematode development occurred in the Group 3 and Group 4 larval stage of C. cossus. No nematode infection was observed in Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa either.

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Hemocytic studies on the synergistic effect of the entomopathogenic nematode species, Steinernema carpocapsae and gamma radiation on the greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella (L.) larvae

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control ◽

10.1186/s41938-020-00254-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

Author(s):

H. M. Salem ◽

M. A. Hussein ◽

S. El. Hafez ◽

M. A. Hussein ◽

R. M. Sayed

Keyword(s):

Synergistic Effect ◽

Gamma Radiation ◽

Galleria Mellonella ◽

Entomopathogenic Nematode ◽

Nematode Species ◽

Steinernema Carpocapsae ◽

Greater Wax Moth ◽

Wax Moth

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Biocontrol potential of entomopathogenic nematode species against Tribolium confusum (Jac.) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) and Rhyzopertha dominica (Fab.) (Coleoptera: Bostrichidae) under laboratory conditions

Egyptian Journal of Biological Pest Control ◽

10.1186/s41938-020-0206-9 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Salma Javed ◽

Tabassum Ara Khanum ◽

Samreen Khan

Keyword(s):

Entomopathogenic Nematode ◽

Nematode Species ◽

Tribolium Confusum ◽

Rhyzopertha Dominica ◽

Laboratory Conditions ◽

Biocontrol Potential ◽

Coleoptera Tenebrionidae

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Attraction behaviour of three entomopathogenic nematode species towards infected and uninfected hosts

Parasitology ◽

10.1017/s0031182006001880 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 134 (5) ◽

pp. 729-738 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

O. RAMOS-RODRÍGUEZ ◽

J. F. CAMPBELL ◽

J. M. CHRISTEN ◽

D. I. SHAPIRO-ILAN ◽

E. E. LEWIS ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Galleria Mellonella ◽

Entomopathogenic Nematode ◽

Nematode Species ◽

Infection Process ◽

Foraging Strategies ◽

Host Quality ◽

Infection Status ◽

Host Attraction ◽

Host Infection ◽

Volatile Cues

SUMMARYEntomopathogenic nematode infective juveniles are likely to encounter both uninfected and infected insects and host quality depends on the stage of the infection. We hypothesized that nematode response to infected hosts will change over the course of an infection. Here, we tested this hypothesis by focusing on the influence of host infection status on long-range attraction to host volatile cues. The attraction response of 3 nematode species (Steinernema carpocapsae, S. glaseri and S. riobrave) with different foraging strategies to infected and uninfected insects (Galleria mellonella and Tenebrio molitor) was tested at 24 h intervals from start of infection to emergence of infective juveniles from depleted host. As expected, based on their foraging strategies, S. carpocapsae was not very responsive to hosts, S. glaseri was highly responsive and S. riobrave was intermediate. Generally, the level of attraction did not change with time after infection and was similar between infected and uninfected hosts. An exception was S. glaseri infected T. molitor, which tended to be less attractive to S. glaseri than uninfected hosts. These results suggest that any influence of host infection status on infection behaviour is occurring at subsequent steps in the host-infection process than host attraction, or involves non-volatile cues.

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Prediction of root damaging during mechanical shaking of fruit trees

Progress in Agricultural Engineering Sciences ◽

10.1556/progress.10.2014.1 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 1-15

Author(s):

Z. Láng

Keyword(s):

Field Experiments ◽

Calculated Data ◽

Fruit Trees ◽

List Type ◽

Structure Model ◽

Root Damage ◽

Set Up ◽

Simple Tree ◽

The Given ◽

Cherry Trees

The possible effect of shaker harvest on root damage of 10-year-old cherry trees was studied on a simple tree structure model. The model was composed of elastic trunk and rigid main roots, the ends of which were connected to the surrounding soil via springs and dumping elements. Equations were set up to be able to calculate the relation between shaking height on the trunk and strain in the roots. To get the data for root break and their elongation at different shaking heights on the trunk, laboratory and field experiments were carried out on cherry trees and on their roots. Having evaluated the measured and calculated data it could be concluded that root damage is to be expected even at 3.6% strain and the risk of it increases with increased trunk amplitudes, i.e.with the decrease of shaking heightat smaller stem diameters (i.e. in younger plantation), andif the unbalanced mass of the shaker machine is too large for the given tree size.

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