We conducted a transcriptomic and small RNA analysis of infective juveniles (IJs) from three behaviourally distinct Steinernema species. Substantial variation was found in the expression shared gene orthologues, revealing signatures that correlate with behavioural states. Ninety-seven percent predicted microRNAs are novel to each Surprisingly, our data provide evidence new family non-coding tra...

E. E. Del Valle, P. Lax, J. Rondán Dueñas, and M. E. Doucet. 2013. Effects of insect cadavers infected by Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steinernema diaprepesi on Meloidogyne incognita parasitism in pepper and summer squash plants. Cien. Inv. Agr. 40(1):109-118. The effects of insect cadavers infected with three isolates of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and one isolate of Steinernema diaprep...

Mechanized production and delivery of biological pesticides presents challenges because the biological agents must remain viable during these processes. This study evaluates the effect of flow through an abrupt contraction, where flow characteristics similar to that found within bioprocesses and spray equipment are developed, on damage to a benchmark biological pest control agent, entomopathoge...

The geospatial patterns of four species of native entomopathogenic nematodes in Florida were previously shown to be related to soil properties that affect soil water potential. Here we compared the responses to water potential of third stage, infective juvenile (IJ), Steinernema sp. (Sx), and Steinernema diaprepesi (Sd) in controlled conditions. The two species were selected because they are cl...

Entomopathogenic nematodes (genera Steinernema and Heterorhabditis) can control a wide variety of economically important pests (Shapiro-Ilan et al., 2002), and are generally applied in aqueous suspension through a variety of agricultural spray equipment or irrigation systems (Grewal, 2002). These nematodes have also been shown to be effective when applied in their infected-host cadavers (Creigh...

The free-living stage of entomopathogenic nematodes occurs in soil, and is an environmental-friendly alternative for biological control. However, their dispersal capability is limited. Earthworms improve soil characteristics, changing soil structure and influencing many edaphic organisms. Thus, earthworms could be used as vectors to introduce/disperse beneficial organisms. Nevertheless this int...