Comparison of some characterizations of recovered from soil and newly fermented entomopathogenic nematode, heterorhabditis bacteriophora (rhabditida: heterorhabditidae)

Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) in the families Heterorhabditidae and Steinernematidae have considerable potential as biological control agents of soil-inhabiting insect pests. One of the most important factors for sustainable biological control is their successful establishment in the soil, infectivity against pest insects, reproductive potential and persistence in released areas. To determine the differences of infectivity, reproductive potential and persistence between recovered from the field one year after release and newly fermented (one-week-old) Heterorhabditis bacteriophora in a bioreactor, the two type populations of H. bacteriophora were compared each other on these capabilities. Prior to study, the fermented nematodes were reproduced once in Galleria mellonella larvae in order to achieve equal conditions with recovered populations. The results showed that infectivity and reproduction potentials of recovered populations were significantly higher than newly fermented or laboratory populations of the nematode. However, differences of persistence of both populations were not significant. This is the first report that quality control of some biological abilities of H. bacteriophora after one year in field