Research Article

Influence of hot water and UV radiation on host infectivity of entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema glaseri (Glaser, 1932)

Mouniga. R¹*, Swarnakumari. N¹ and Suganthi. A²

Department of Nematology¹ and Department of Entomology², 

Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu-641003, India

Corresponding author e-mail: mounigaramasamy1995@gmail.com

(Received: 09/08/2022; Revised: 15/11/2022; Accepted: 29/11/2022)

ABSTRACT

Entomopathogenic nematodes act as good bio-control agents to manage lepidopteron and coleopteran pests. Steinernematidae and Heterorhabditae are considered important families in entomopathogenic nematodes. An in-vitro experiment was conducted to enhance the efficacy of Steinernema glaseri using hot water and UV radiation on final instar larvae of Corcyra Cephalonia. The results showed that the highest number of larvae were infected at 35 °C and 45 °C of hot water immersion. Among the UV-exposed larvae, the highest number of larvae infected was obtained by UV exposure for 10 minutes.

Keywords: Corcyra cephalonica, Steinernema glaseri, hot water, UV radiation.