TABLE CONTENTS

Evaluations of Different Methods of Mass Production of Entomopathogenic
Nematodes
Li, C. Xu, Y.L. & G. Tan
Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin, P.R.China,
150081
Entomopathogenic nematodes are very promising biopesticides capable of controlling a
variety of economically important insect pests. But application of entomopathogenic
nematodes was limited because of faulty mass production. In order to find suitable mass
production technology for entomopathogenic nematodes to meet different markets’ needs,
several methods of mass production were adopted in this experiment.
Heterorhabditis bacteriophora(Hb-1)and Steinernema carpocapsae(Sc-2)were massproduced
by White trap, Lowtek, liquid and solid methods, respectively. The last instar of the
greater wax moth, Galleria mellonella (L.) was used as host insect for entomopathogenic
nematode culture by traditional White trap method. The mealworm, Tenebrio molitor (L.)
was used as host by Lowtek. The medium of liquid and solid culture was composed of tryptic
soybroth, yeast extract, oil of soybean, and sponge was used as substrate. The quality and
yield of the nematodes were investigated and the costs were calculated.
The results showed that the infecting ability and living rate of the two species (Hb-1 and Sc-
2) were slightly different, and White trap was the highest and Lowtek liquid culture was the
lowest. The yield of solid cultured Hb-1 and Sc-2 was highest, 5.69×10 5 IJs (infective
juveniles)/g and 6.33×10 5 IJs/g medium, liquid culture was higher than White trap and
Lowtek was the lowest. The cost of Lowtek was lower than other three methods,
0.79RMB/million IJs and 0.83 RMB/million IJs, secondly solid culture, and liquid culture
was the highest. Therefore, Lowtek method can be used as low volume in local market which
the equipment was simple, and solid culture can adopted as requiring large numbers of
nematodes for extensive field which developed technology and large capital were needed.
5 th International Congress of Nematology, 2008 230