Potential of Entomopathogenic Nematode HbSD as a Candidate Biocontrol Agent against <i>Spodoptera frugiperda</i>
Yuan Chen,
Haibo Long,
Tao Jin,
Zhengqiang Peng,
Yanfang Sun,
Tuizi Feng
Affiliations
Yuan Chen
Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China
Haibo Long
Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China
Tao Jin
Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China
Zhengqiang Peng
Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China
Yanfang Sun
Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China
Tuizi Feng
Key Laboratory of Integrated Pest Management on Tropical Crops, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Environment and Plant Protection Institute, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Sciences, Haikou 571101, China
Spodoptera frugiperda is a highly destructive and polyphagous pest that causes severe damage to various crops, especially maize. The wide use of chemical insecticides to control S. frugiperda results in resistance against commonly used chemicals and resistant mutations will expand in populations accompanied by a spread to vulnerable areas. Consequently, more effective and friendly strategies must be explored to minimize losses caused by S. frugiperda. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) are good candidates for the biological control of different species of insect pests, including S. frugiperda. In the current study, the infective capabilities of the EPN species HbSD, belonging to Hetrerorhabditis bacteriophora, were evaluated against S. frugiperda under laboratory, greenhouse and field conditions. In laboratory assays, HbSD was highly virulent against 3rd/5th instar larvae, which was related to HbSD concentration and exposure durations. In greenhouse assays, spraying aqueous HbSD also showed good performance in killing larvae on maize leaves. However, the virulence of HbSD decreased in field trials where many adverse factors affecting survival and efficacy were encountered by HbSD. Overall, our study provides an alternative EPN for the biological control of S. frugiperda with the potential to be developed as a sustainable option for efficient pest management.
