Steinernema glaseri Santa Rosa strain (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora CCA Strain (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae) as biological control agents of Boophilus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae).
The present study was carried out to evaluate the action of Steinernema glaseri Santa Rosa strain and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora CCA strain as biological control agents of Boophilus microplus. Engorged females ticks were distributed on Petri dishes containing different concentrations of infective juvenile (IJ) nematodes (0, 375, 500, 750, 1,500, 2,500, 5,000 and 25,000). The data showed a reduction of approximately 90% in the eggs laid at a concentration of 5,000 S. glaseri IJs and approximately 80% at a concentration of 1,500 H. bacteriophora IJs. The female mortality increased linearly with the increase in S. glaseri concentrations. However, in the tests with H. bacteriophora this linearity was not observed. The effectiveness of the treatment with both species of entomopathogenic nematodes was compatible with other control methods. The results show the potential of S. glaseri and H. bacteriophora as biological control agents for the control of B. microplus under laboratory conditions.
Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Campus Universitário, Martelos, 36033-330, Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Viviane
V
de Oliveira Vasconcelos
John
J
Furlong
Glaucia Marques
GM
de Freitas
Claudia
C
Dolinski
Marineide Mendonça
MM
Aguillera
Regina Celia Devitte
RC
Rodrigues
Márcia
M
Prata
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000502:physiology; D010058:Oviposition; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D017168:Rhabditida / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D017172:Rhabditoidea / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D013045:Species Specificity