Controlling Crop Pests with Stealth Worms

Scientists from the Nigeria-based International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and Ghent University in Belgium have identified certain entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) species that could effectively be deployed as biological control agents against crop pests in Sub-Saharan Africa. EPNs are microscopic roundworms similar in morphology to plant parasitic nematodes. The juvenile stage of these tiny worms travels with bacteria in its intestine that can rapidly kill their pest host, usually within 48 hours. They reproduce until the resources in the cadaver are depleted, then they migrate in search of new hosts.

EPNs have been successfully used to control insect pests, especially in tropical regions. In Brazil, Venezuela, Egypt and in the tropical areas of Australia, they have been applied to manage banana weevil and diamond-back moths. However, information on indigenous EPNs in Africa is still limited. The IITA –Ghent University project addressed this by isolating local species, determining nematode/bacterium associations for commercial production, and training farmers on the effective use and proper application of EPNs.

According to Françoise Kanga Messiga, coordinator of the project, “Within limits, EPNs are compatible with the use of chemical pesticides since their virulence is not affected. More importantly, using EPNs is safe for users and the environment as their associated bacteria poses no threat to vertebrates or plants”. However, she cautions that EPNs may affect some beneficial insects such as pollinators.

Read the full story at http://www.iita.org/cms/details/news_details.aspx?articleid=1772&zoneid=81