VIRULENCE OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODES TO THREE SOFT SCALE INSECT SPECIES

Virulence of commercial strains of entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) Steinernema carpocapsae (Weiser), Steinernema feltiae Filipjev and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Poinar (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae, Heterorhabditidae), were tested on young females of Pulvinaria hydrangeae Steinweden, Partenolecanium corni (Bouché) and Coccus pseudomagnoliarum (Kuwana) (Hemiptera, Coccidae) and a native strain of H. bacteriophora was tested on citricola scale, C. pseudomagnoliarum. The laboratory tests were carried out in small plastic Petri dishes with infective juveniles (IJ) applied on filter paper covering the bottom. Results showed that all EPN tested were virulent to all three soft scale insect species. Recorded mortality of insects at the highest concentration of approximately 50 IJ per cm2 exceeded 64% in all combinations of nematode and scale species tested. Within the same nematode concentration, scales’ mortality of 90% and above was recorded for P. corni with all nematode species, P. hydrangeae with S. carpocapsae (Nemastar) and C. pseudomagnoliarum with native H. bacteriophora strain. All scale species were good hosts for all nematode species. This is the first report of EPNs to parasitize soft scale insects and one of the few among Coccoidea. The level of parasitism recorded is promising for potential use in management of scale insects.