EVALUATION OF VIRULENCE OF STEINERNEMA CARPOCAPSAE TO EUROPEAN MOLE CRICKET GRYLLOTALPA GRYLOTALPA L

Common European mole cricket (CEML) Grillotalpa grillotalpa L causes damage to field, vegetable crops, and small fruits growing at commercial plantations and nurseries. Chemical control if insecticides are used in poison bates, soil application or seedling/bulbs treatment is not environmentally friendly. Inundative and innoculative release of CTVL biocontrol agents, in particularly, Entomopathogenic nematode is a reliable alternative to chemical control. At the laboratory study the comparison of the ability of commercial strain (Nemastar) and local Ukrainian isolate of Steinernema carpocapsae in various concentrations to parasite in last instar nymph and adults of G. grillotalpa was investigated. Grillotalpa grillotalpa was found as a susceptible host for both commercial and local strains of S. carpocapsae. The life cycle of S. carpocapsae both strains in the adults of G. grillotapla with concentration 50 IJs per larva has been completed 12-15 days at t=25 C. Two generations of S. carpocapsae were able to develop in mole cricket for both strains. Two strains of S. carpocapsae nematode species tested were pathogenic to adults of G. grillotalpa. The mortalities of G. grillotapla last last instars' larva caused by S. carpocapsae were recorded in every concentration tested at least 20 to 150 IJs per larva. Mean larval mortality ranged from 48% to 95% depending upon nematode strain and rate of application. Larval mortality generally increased with increasing of nematode rates. It was significant for both S. carpocapsae strains (Ukr. Isolate F = 26 > 2,86) and commercial strain (Nemastar F = 102,95 > 2,86). Ukrainian local isolate caused a greater percentage of mortality of G. grillotapla adult than commercial strain of S. carpocapsae tested but interactions between nematode strains, application rates were not significant. This study presents new data on effect of S. carpocapsae isolated for Ukraine to key agricultural polyphagous pest G. grillotalpa susceptibility screening under controlled conditions, as presented in this paper is the first step towards the development of a biological control program of G. grillotaplpa by using of entomopathogenic nematodes.