Natural Occurrence of Entomopathogenic Nematodes Associated with Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) Ecosystem in India

Abstract

Random survey for naturally occurring entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) from ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) ecosystem were undertaken from different agro-climatic regions in India. Two hundred and two soil samples were collected from different locations of districts Kozhikode. Wayanad. Kottayam, Idukki (Kerala), Kodagu {Karnataka}, Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu), Kolasib (Mizoram), Faizabad (Uttar Pradesh) and Barapani (Meghalaya) for determination of EPN population. Out of 202 soil samples baited out, eight samples were found to be positive to EPNs. Among these strains, three EPNs were from Kozhikode district, three from Idukki district and one each from Wayanad and Falzabad districts. Out of the eight EPNs isolated, three species belong to genus Stenernema one to Heterorhabditis and four to Oscheius. These EPNs have been Identified on the basis of morphometric and morphological characterization. Four hundred and twenty four pseudostems of ginger infested with shoot borer (Conogethes punctiferalis) larvae were collected from the different localities of Kozhikode, Wayanad and Kodagu districts and 112 larvae were found dead. Among dead larvae, only one EPN. namely Oscheius sp. was recorded from the shoot borer larvae. Our survey revealed that, Oscheius spp. and Steinernema spp. widely occur and S. ramanai and O. gingeri reported as news species from the rhizosphere of ginger. These EPNs have great potential for biological control of insect pests of ginger .