title: Mass Production of the Beneficial Nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Its Bacterial Symbiont Photorhabdus luminescens.
abstract: Entomoparasitic nematodes (EPNs) are being commercialized as a biocontrol measure for crop insect pests, as they provide advantages over common chemical insecticides. Mass production of these nematodes in liquid media has become a major challenge for commercialization. Producers are not willing to share the trade secrets of mass production and by doing so, have made culturing EPNs extremely difficult to advance existing technologies. Theoretically, mass production in liquid media is an ideal culturing method as it increases cost efficiency and nematode quantity. This paper will review current culturing methodologies and suggest basic culturing parameters for mass production. This review is focused on Heterorhabditis bacteriophora; however, this information can be useful for other nematode species.
authors.affiliation: Sartorius-Stedim Biotechnology Laboratory, Biotechnology Research and Training Center, University of North Carolina at Pembroke, 115 Livermore Drive, Pembroke, NC 28372 USA.
authors.forename: Floyd L
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Inman
authors.forename: Sunita
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Leonard D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Holmes
keywords: Beneficial nematodes; Heterorhabditis bacteriophora; Mass production; Photorhabdus luminescens