Application of Entomopathogenic nematodes Suppresses the Root Knot Nematodes, Agrotis ipsilon, Spodoptera litura in Tobacco

Abstract

Application of Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) is an efficient and novel alternative for management of plant-parasitic nematode and other insects to improve the productivity of tobacco and to protect the tobacco from the disturbing of underground and leaf chewing insects. In the present work, laboratory and field trials were conducted to control root-knot nematode (M. javanica) by using EPNs and the symbiotic bacterial, and the effect of the application was evaluated in tobacco plant. Approximately after inoculation of sixty days, egg masses and galls on tobacco root and agronomic characters of tobacco were calculated. Results showed that both EPNs and the symbiotic bacterium affected the reproduction of M. javanica population and the gall, egg masses and the root-knot nematodes in the tobacco root were significant reduced. EPNs also showed suppressive effect on S. litura larvae, and Agrotis ipsilon larvae as well. It might be the first study about the use of EPNs in the control of M. javanica in tobacco plant.