Liquid culture mass production of biocontrol nematodes, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Nematoda: Rhabditida): improved timing of dauer juvenile inoculation

Heterorhabditis bacteriophora is used in biological control of soil-borne insect pests in horticulture and turf. Mass production is carried out in monoxenic liquid cultures pre-incubated with the symbiont of the nematodes, the bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens, before nematode dauer juveniles (DJ)...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Applied microbiology and biotechnology 2004-06, Vol.64 (5), p.651-658
Main Authors: JOHNIGK, S.-A, ECKE, F, POEHLING, M, EHLERS, R.-U
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Bacteria
Biological and medical sciences
Biological control
Biotechnology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Heterorhabditis bacteriophora
Horticulture
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Immunization
Liquid culture
Nematoda
Nematodes
Offspring
Oxygen Consumption
Pest control
Photorhabdus - growth & development
Photorhabdus luminescens
Progeny
Q1
Q2
Reproduction
Respiration
Rhabditida
Rhabditida - growth & development
Symbionts
Symbiosis
Turf
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Summary:Heterorhabditis bacteriophora is used in biological control of soil-borne insect pests in horticulture and turf. Mass production is carried out in monoxenic liquid cultures pre-incubated with the symbiont of the nematodes, the bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens, before nematode dauer juveniles (DJ) are inoculated. As a response to bacterial food signals, the DJ recover from the developmentally arrested dauer stage, grow to adults and produce DJ offspring. Variable DJ recovery after inoculation into cultures of P. luminescens often causes process failure due to low numbers of adult nematodes in the medium. In order to enhance DJ recovery, improve nematode population management and increase yields, the optimal timing for DJ inoculation was sought. The process parameter pH and respiration quotient (RQ) were recorded in order to test whether changes can be used to identify the best moment for DJ inoculation. When DJ were inoculated during the lag and early logarithmic growth phases of P. luminescens cultures, DJ recovery was low and almost no nematode reproduction was obtained. High populations of P. luminescens phase variants were recorded. Recovery and yields increased when DJ were inoculated during the latter log phase during which the RQ dropped to values
ISSN:0175-7598
1432-0614
DOI:10.1007/s00253-003-1519-9