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General Info

CodeNema V
TitleSurvey and identification of efficient EPNs against major insect pests of ginger and turmeric
Crop(s)Ginger and Turmeric
Start year2008Closed
End year2012
Investigators NameMan-months
Rashid Pervez 9
Santhosh J Eapen 9
S Devasahayam 7

Objectives

  • Survey and documentation of EPNs in major ginger and turmeric growing areas
  • To identify most virulent strain/species of entomopathogenic nematodes against insect pests infesting ginger and turmeric
  • Standardization and development of mass production techniques of EPN.

Salient Achievements

  • Isolation of EPNs: One hundred and fifty seven soil samples were collected from ginger and turmeric rhizosphere from different locations of Kozhikode, Wyanad, Kottayam, Idukki (Kerala), Kodagu (Karnataka), Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu), Guwahati (Assam), Faizabad (Uttar Pradesh) and Barapani (Meghalaya) districts. Out of 157 soil samples baited out, only eight samples were found to be positive to entomopathogenic nematodes. Among these strains of EPN, three EPNs were from Kozhikode district, three from Idduki district and one each from Waynand and Faizabad district.
  • Identification of EPNs: Out of eight isolated species of EPN, two species belong to genus Steinernema; one to Heterorhabditis and five to Oscheius. Among them, two new species viz., Steinernema ramani sp. n. and Oscheius gingeri sp. n. have been identified on the basis of morphometric and molecular characterization.
  • Infectivity of EPNs: Among the eight EPN isolates, only four isolates viz., Heterorhabditis sp. (IISR 01), Steinernema sp. (IISR 02) and Oscheius sp. (IISR 07 and 08) were promising against shoot borer larva, whereas Oscheius sp. (IISR 07) and Steinernema sp. (IISR 02) were promising against shoot borer pupa
  • Mass production of EPNs: Multiplication of infective juveniles of eight isolates of EPN in different artificial media viz., Wouts medium, egg yolk medium, dog biscuit medium, agar agar medium and wheat flour medium were tested. Among these media, egg yolk was the best media for the multiplication of IJs followed by Wouts media.
ICAR-IISR, Kozhikode Last Updated : 26.1.2019