TY - JOUR
T1 - Mechanical production of pellets for the application of entomopathogenic nematodes
T2 - Factors that determine survival time of Steinernema glaseri
AU - Matadamas-Ortiz, P. T.
AU - Ruiz-Vega, J.
AU - Vazquez-Feijoo, J. A.
AU - Cruz-Martínez, H.
AU - Cortés-Martínez, C. I.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank to the National Polytechnic Institute of Mexico (IPN), and its Commission to Operation and Promoting of Academic Activities (COFAA-IPN) for funding this work, and the CONACYT for the scholarships granted to the students Carlos Cortés-Martínez and Heriberto Cruz-Martínez.
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - Applications of infective juveniles (IJ) of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) formulated in pellets are still limited. This is principally due to limited advances in the technology of formulation. We aimed to develop a new method of mechanical formulation through material flow and to analyse its effect on the survival time of encapsulated EPN by varying the granular materials, the components of the aqueous suspension, the age of the nematodes and by applying a surface coating (C) to the pellet. Three-day-old and two-month-old Steinernema glaseri IJ were encapsulated with different proportions of diatomaceous earth (DE) and attapulgite clay (AC). The aqueous suspension containing the nematodes was prepared with double distilled water (DDW), varying proportions of Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage (OM) or gelatin (GL), and a sunflower oil surface treatment. The pellets were stored at an average room temperature of 23 ± 6°C. The best results were obtained with the following proportions: 100DE:0AC and 50DE:50AC, using the OM suspension, three-day-old nematodes and a surface C, which resulted in an average of 14 days survival time. These results confirmed that the nematodes do not die during mechanical encapsulation and that the age of the IJ as well as the loss of moisture during storage at room temperature were the factors that decreased the survival of encapsulated EPN. It was concluded that it is necessary to use neonate IJ and to reduce the moisture transfer rate in the granular structure in order to delay the desiccation of the encapsulated nematodes.
AB - Applications of infective juveniles (IJ) of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) formulated in pellets are still limited. This is principally due to limited advances in the technology of formulation. We aimed to develop a new method of mechanical formulation through material flow and to analyse its effect on the survival time of encapsulated EPN by varying the granular materials, the components of the aqueous suspension, the age of the nematodes and by applying a surface coating (C) to the pellet. Three-day-old and two-month-old Steinernema glaseri IJ were encapsulated with different proportions of diatomaceous earth (DE) and attapulgite clay (AC). The aqueous suspension containing the nematodes was prepared with double distilled water (DDW), varying proportions of Opuntia ficus-indica mucilage (OM) or gelatin (GL), and a sunflower oil surface treatment. The pellets were stored at an average room temperature of 23 ± 6°C. The best results were obtained with the following proportions: 100DE:0AC and 50DE:50AC, using the OM suspension, three-day-old nematodes and a surface C, which resulted in an average of 14 days survival time. These results confirmed that the nematodes do not die during mechanical encapsulation and that the age of the IJ as well as the loss of moisture during storage at room temperature were the factors that decreased the survival of encapsulated EPN. It was concluded that it is necessary to use neonate IJ and to reduce the moisture transfer rate in the granular structure in order to delay the desiccation of the encapsulated nematodes.
KW - Steinernema glaseri
KW - encapsulation
KW - entomopathogenic nematode
KW - mechanical formulation
KW - pelletiser
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84890110410&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/09583157.2013.852161
DO - 10.1080/09583157.2013.852161
M3 - Artículo
SN - 0958-3157
VL - 24
SP - 145
EP - 157
JO - Biocontrol Science and Technology
JF - Biocontrol Science and Technology
IS - 2
ER -