COMPARATIVE EXISTENCE OF STEINERNEMA ABBAS! AND HETERORHABDITIS INDICUS IN SOIL OF A DATE PALM PLANTATION

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, Egypt

2 Ministry of Agriculture, Ras Al-Khaima, P.O .Box 60, United Arab Emirates.

Abstract

The ontomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema abbasi and Het­erorhabditis indicus were found to exist in a date palm plantation from January to December, 2001. Populations of S. abbasi ( expressed by per­cent mortality in larvae of Galleria mellonella (as baits) in 20 soil samples collected monthly were higher than those of H. indicus. Mortality by S. abbasi reached 100 % in March, August, October and November. The co­existence of S. abbasi and H. indicus in the soil around the trunks of palm trees resulted in successful combined infection with both species in five G. mellonella larvae during the course of this study. Such infected larvae showed the symptoms of either nematode species and the combined in­fection was detected in the second passage when some infected larvae showed symptoms of S. abbasi (no change in colour with softness of the cadaver) and others showed symptoms of H. indicus (brownish -red col­our with hardness in colour). The study was conducted in Ras Al-Khaima, United Arab Emirates.