Bacteria Isolated from the Stem Borer Sesamia Nonagrioides (lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Iran

Sesamia nonagrioides (Lef.) is a major insect pest of sugarcane in southwestern Iran. It also damages maize and rice in this area. Using bacterial pathogens of insects as a biological control agent in an IPM program could be advantageous. In this study, the bacterial flora of S. nonagrioides were investigated in dead larvae with appearance of some bacterial disease. Samples were collected from maize and sugarcane fields of Khuzestan province as well as rice fields in Fars province. A total of 11 isolates were characterized from dead larvae of S. nonagrioides, according to morphology, spore formation, nutritional features, physiological and biochemical characteristics: Acinetobacter calcoaceticus, A. baumanii, A. radioresistens and A. lwoffii, Enterococcus casseliflavus, E. gergoviae, Cedecea lapagei, Kurthia gibsonii, Staphylococcus auricularis, Listeria ivanoii and Erwinia herbicula. This is the first report on the bacteria other than Bt from larvae of the stem borer S. nonagrioides. May be one or more of these bacteria are causative agents of death in S. nonagrioides and are natural suppressors of this stem borer in the fields.