In vivo culturing of entomopathogenic nematodes Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steinernema carpocapsae on silkworm (Bombyx mori) and their effect on some lepidopterous insects.

Studies were carried out for in vivo culturing of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steinernema carpocapsae on silkworm, Bombyx mori and their effect on some lepidopterous insects, viz., rice moth (Corcyra cephalonica), black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon) and silkworm (Bombyx-mori). Both H. bacteriophora and S. carpocapsae (500 nematodes/larva) caused 100% mortality of 5th instar larvae of B. mori after 24 and 48 hours of application in case of injected and topical methods, respectively. The nematodes did not emerge out of the host when applied on 5th instar larvae of silkworm, While on 3rd instar larva, an average of 2750 and 48703 juveniles of H. bacteriophora and S. carpocapsae, respectively, were recovered. H. bacteriophora resulted in 100% mortality of 5th instar larvae of C. cephalonica, 3rd instar of B. mori and 4th instar of A. ipsilon, within 96,72 and 72 hours after their topical applications, respectively. Cent per cent mortality of the larvae of the insects was caused by S. carpocapsae within 96,72 and 96 hours after their topical applications, respectively.