title: Direct infection of Spodoptera litura by Photorhabdus luminescens encapsulated in alginate beads.
abstract: Actively growing cultures of Photorhabdus luminescens were encapsulated in sodium alginate beads and examined for their ability to infect insect hosts. These beads, containing approximately 2.5 x 10(7)Photorhabdus cells per bead, when mixed with sterilized soil and exposed to Spodoptera litura larvae resulted in 100% mortality in 48 h, while the use of alginate encapsulated Heterorhabditis nematode resulted in 40% mortality after 72 h. The bacteria were reisolated from the dead insect thus proving Koch's postulates and demonstrating the ability of P. luminescens to kill the insect host on their own, independent of the symbiont nematode. The LC(50) dose of Photorhabdus cells was estimated at 1010 cells per larva for killing S. litura 6th instar larvae in 48 h.
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110 067, India. raja@icgeb.res.in <raja@icgeb.res.in>
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rajagopal
authors.forename: Sharad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohan
authors.forename: Raj K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Bhatnagar
mesh_terms: D000464:Alginates; D000818:Animals; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D020723:Glucuronic Acid; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D007814:Larva / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D008136:Longevity; D009348:Nematoda / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology; D020637:Photorhabdus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D012988:Soil Microbiology; D018411:Spodoptera / Q000254:growth & development / Q000382:microbiology*; D013559:Symbiosis
chemical_list: D000464:Alginates; D006603:Hexuronic Acids; D020723:Glucuronic Acid