Sustainable Grain Protectants: Recruiting Entomopathogenic Nematodes against Stored-Product Coleopterans

Nickolas G. Kavallieratos (), Eirini Karanastasi, Erifili P. Nika, Anna Skourti, Maria C. Boukouvala and Ioanneta E. Sampazioti
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Nickolas G. Kavallieratos: Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., 11855 Athens, Greece
Eirini Karanastasi: Plant Protection Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Patras, 30200 Messolonghi, Greece
Erifili P. Nika: Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., 11855 Athens, Greece
Anna Skourti: Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., 11855 Athens, Greece
Maria C. Boukouvala: Laboratory of Agricultural Zoology and Entomology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 75 Iera Odos Str., 11855 Athens, Greece
Ioanneta E. Sampazioti: Plant Protection Laboratory, Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Patras, 30200 Messolonghi, Greece

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 23, 1-10

Abstract: Stored-product commodities are attacked by numerous insect species. The adulticidal effects of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) on grains remain uninvestigated. Thus, in the current study, seven doses of the EPNs Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae), Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser) (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae), and Steinernema feltiae (Filipjev) (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) were inoculated on wheat kernels against adults of Trogoderma granarium Everts (Coleoptera: Dermestidae) , Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), and Alphitobius diaperinus (Panzer) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Complete mortality (100.0%) of T. granarium was recorded after exposure for eight days to the highest dose of 50,000 Infective Juveniles/mL (IJs/mL) of all tested EPN species. At the same exposure interval, 62.2%, 85.6%, and 76.7% of T. molitor were killed by 50,000 IJs/mL of H. bacteriophora , S. carpocapsae, and S. feltiae , respectively. The highest mortality of A. diaperinus (11.1%) was documented eight days post-exposure to 50,000 IJs/mL of H. bacteriophora . In general, T. granarium was highly susceptible, followed by T. molitor and A. diaperinus . Concerning EPN species, S. carpocapsae exhibited the highest insecticidal capacity, followed by S. feltiae and H. bacteriophora . Trogoderma granarium and T. molitor can be sufficiently managed by the highest dose of 50,000 IJs/mL of all three EPNs and by S. carpocapsae , respectively. However, A. diaperinus was not affected by any EPNs.

Keywords: khapra beetle; yellow mealworm; lesser mealworm; entomopathogenic nematodes; stored wheat (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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