We determined the effects of crop residue on the persistence of an entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae. During 2 consecutive years, nematodes were applied at rates of 2.5 x 10 and 1.0 x 10 infective juveniles/m(2) to small field plots planted with corn. Nematode persistence was monitored by exposing Galleria mellonella larvae to soil samples from plots with and without crop resid...

The effect of Steinernema riobrave and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora on population density of Mesocriconema xenoplax in peach was studied in the greenhouse. Twenty-one days after adding 112 M. xenoplax adults and juveniles/1,500 cm(3) soil to the soil surface of each pot, 50 infective juveniles/cm(2) soil surface of either S. riobrave or H. bacteriophora were applied. Another entomopathogenic n...

Hypothesis: Under exploitative competition, unrelated parasites should reproduce at a faster rate than related parasites. Organisms: The parasitic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae and the insect host Galleria mellonella. Methods: We created ten replicate lines each of high-migration (unrelated) and low-migration (related) nematode populations, and allowed them to evolve for 20 host passages. Re...

Nematodes are one of the most abundant animals on earth, and bacteria comprise the most biologically and phylogenetically diverse domains of organisms. On at least two separate occasions a soil dwelling nematode and a bacterium have entered into a mutualistic, insecticidal association. From such origins arose two distinct lineages of nematode–bacterium entomopathogens, Steinernema–Xenorhabdus a...

Larvae, pupae, and adults of the carrot weevil (Listronotus oregonensis) were infected and killed by the three entomophagous nematodes (Steinernema feltiae, S. bibionis, and Heterorhabditis heliothidis) under controlled conditions. Third-stage larvae were more susceptible than pupae or adults. S. feltiae and S. bibionis were the most aggressive nematode species, causing larval mortality after 2...

Frozen hydrated specimens of Pratylenchus agilis and dauer larvae of Steinernema carpocapsae were observed with low-temperature field emission scanning electron microscopy. This new technique provides information about the surface features of nematodes and also allows specimens to be fractured to reveal their internal structure. Furthermore, both halves of fractured specimens can be retained, e...