Nematode Infecting Thrips and Their Utilization in Pest Management: A Review

Six EPN strains were tested in the laboratory against late larval, pre-pupae and pupal stages of Frankliniella occidentalis. Among those strains, Steinernema feltiae Sylt, Steinernema carpocapsae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora HK3 were observed to be virulent against soil dwelling stages. A dosage of about 400 IJs/cm-² provided higher mortality. Thus, the EPNs of the above two families need greater consideration against thrips with soil dwelling stages. Heterorhabditis bacteriophora gave 32–52% mortality of larvae and adult of Hercinothrips femoralis at 25ÚC temperature with a dose of 200 IJs/cm⁻². However, arboreal stages of thrips are known to be infected only by the members of the family Allantonematidae. These entomoparasitic nematodes largely belong to a single genus, Thripinema. The Thripinema nematodes do not kill the host, but sterilize the females and reduce longevity. Physical damage by developing nematodes, protein deprivation, toxins released by the nematode are believed to cause female sterility.