Project Directorate of Biological Control (ICAR), P.B.No. 2491, H.A. Farm Post, Hebbal, Bangalore-560024, Karnataka, India.
Mass Multiplication of Steinernema sp. (SSL2) PDBC EN 13.21 was carried out in four combinations of dog biscuit media in comparison with Wouts medium. Cost of production was also evaluated. After a culture time of thirty days and an initial inoculum of 5t>0 infective juveniles (Us) per 250 ml, a maximum yield of 30.58 x 10s infective juveniles was recorded from Wouts medium followed by dog biscuit + peptone + beef extract (24.5 x 10s), dog biscuit + beef extract (18.40 x 10) dog biscuit + peptone (12.20 x 10s) and dog biscuit + bacterial culture (10.14 x 105). Cost of production for 10 lakh Us was highest for the dog biscuit + bacterial culture followed by dog biscuit + peptone + beef extract, dog biscuit + peptone, dog biscuit + beef extract and Wouts medium. Wouts medium was found to be the best both in terms of yield/gram of medium and cost of production per ten lakh Us.
