Potential of controlling insect pests of corn using entomopathogenic nematodes

A series of experiments was performed in the laboratory and in the greenhou se to assess the efficacy of the entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema gl aseri or S. feltiae in decreasing the numbers of European corn borer, fall armyworm, western corn rootworm and the seedcorn maggot in corn. Both nemat ode species effectively controlled the four insect pest species. During gre enhouse experiments, the number of plants protected with entomopathogenic n ematodes against these insect pests was significantly higher than in the un treated controls. Similar results were obtained in a microplot study of cor n infected with the European corn borer, the western corn rootworm and the seedcorn maggot. The application of a single nematode species against sever al insect pests has economic advantages. In addition, both S. glaseri and S . feltiae overwintered and survived in the field until the next growing sea son.