Abstract

JIMENEZ, James Alberto; LOPEZ N, Juan Carlos  and  SOTO G, Alberto. PATHOGENICITY OF TWO ENTHOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODES ON METAMASIUS HEMIPTERUS SERICEUS (COLEOPTERA: CURCULIONIDAE). Bol. Cient. Mus. Hist. Nat. Univ. Caldas [online]. 2012, vol.16, n.2, pp.87-97. ISSN 0123-3068.

The silky cane weevil Metamasius hemipterus sericeus is a major pest in sugar cane and bananas, causing damage on destroying the tissue and weakening the plant. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EN) species of the genera Steinernema and Heterorhabditis are biological control agents of the insect with the possibility of being incorporated into IPM programs. The objective of this study was to evaluate the virulence of Steinernema carpocapsae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora on adults and last instar larvae of the weevil. The bioassay used was individual infection in multiple well plates with filter paper in concentrations of 10, 100, and 1.000 infective juveniles (IJ)/25 ml. Within a 12 h frequency, the number of dead individuals per plate was registered. The cadavers were put in a drying chamber (development of the nematode inside the insect) and later they were placed in a "white chamber" (emergence of IJ). The variables evaluated were mortality of the stages, IJ multiplication and emergence duration. Under the evaluated conditions, both adults and larvae were susceptible to the attack of both nematodes. Typical symptoms of infection and multiplication in larvae were observed for the nematode species evaluated. Conditions such as the high humidity in plantain pseudostems along with mortality registered and the capacity to develop especially in the larvae, make of these agents promising tools for the control of the pest in the field.

Keywords : Silky cane weevil; Steinernema carpocapsae; Heterorhabditis bacteriophora; plantain; IPM.

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