Efficiency of Two Entomopathogenic Nematodes against the Red Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Plant Protection Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University

10.21608/assjm.2024.244742.1250

Abstract

In the present study, infective capabilities of two entomopathogenic nematode species including Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steinernema carpocapsae were evaluated against red palm weevil, under laboratory and field conditions. Bioassay experiments took place to estimate theLC50, LC90, LT50 and LT90 values. By H. bacteriophora treatment, theLC50’s against the 2nd, 4th, 8th and 12th larval instars of R. ferrugineus were 909.48, 1623.00, 1771.08 and 2897.44 IJs/ml, respectively. The correspondent LC90 values were 3389.86, 6586.00, 8096.61 and 22548.21 IJs/ml, respectively after 15 days of treatment. Also, the LT50 values after using the concentration 2500 IJs/ml were 7.43, 9.54, 10.83 and 16.28 days, respectively, while those of LT90 were 21.81, 41.33, 52.68 and 116.40 days, respectively. By S. carpocapsae treatment, theLC50’s were 728.97, 1370.00, 1547.21 and 2771.84 IJs/ml, respectively. LC90 values were 3507.36, 6784.74, 9293.00 and 18916.27 IJs/ml, respectively for the 2nd, 4th, 8th and 12th instars after 15 days of treatment. Also, the LT50 values after using the concentration 2500 IJs/ml were 7.04, 7.13, 10.16 and 14.62 days, respectively, while those of LT90 were 19.05, 22.57, 43.46 and 96.78 days, respectively. Whereas, the two species of EPN (H. bacteriophora and S. carpocapsae) by 2500 IJs /ml concentration caused 90 & 95% mortality for 2nd instar, 70 & 75% for 4th instar, 65 & 70% for 8th instar and 50 & 50% for 12th instar, respectively, 15 days after treatment. The field study showed that infested date palm trees injected by H. bacteriophora and S. carpocapsae by concentration 2 x 107 IJs/liter at the infestation site by the red palm weevil caused 60 and 80% recovery, respectively, recovery from infestation after 25 days of treatment.
The study recommends using of S. carpocapsae to control the red palm weevil.

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