Efficacy of Entomopathogenic Nematode, Heterorhabditis indica (Meerut strain) against Lepidopteran Insect Pest of Agriculture Importance

Efficacy of an indigenous entomopathogenic nematode, Heterorhabditis indica was studied against lepidopteran insect pests, viz., gram pod borer, Helicoverpa armigera, tobacco caterpillar, Spodoptera litura, greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella, Brinjal early shoot and fruit borer Leucinodes orbonalis, Spotted bollworm Earias vittella, Diamondback moth Plutella xylostella, Cabbage butterfly Pieris brassicae, Bihar hairy caterpillar Spilosoma oblique, under laboratory,conditions. The larval stages of Plutella xylostella, Leucinodes orbonalis, Corcyra cephalonica, Galleria mellonella and Helicoverpa armigera were found highly susceptible to the IJs of H. indica causing 73.3 to 100% mortality at 48 h of exposure while, Spodoptera litura, Spilosoma obliqua, Pieris brassicae, and Earias vittella were less susceptible (3.3 to 73.5% mortality). The maximum IJs were produced from the infective larvae of G. mellonella (50,000-2, 00,000), followed by H. armigera (50,0001, 50,000) whereas the minimum IJs were produced from infective larvae of P. xylostella (100–2000).