References on Mango

Razak A. R., Kondo E., Ishibashi N.

Author Affiliation: Jabatan Perlindungan Tumbuhan, Fakulti Pertanian, Universiti Pertanian Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
  : 86-92

Abstract : The potential of the S. carpocapsae strain All, a biological control agent against 2 serious pests of Malaysian crops from 2 different habitats, namely Rhytidodera simulans, the mango shoot borer (cryptic habitat) and Plutella xylostella, diamondback moth (foliar habitat), was evaluated. Larvae of R. simulans of varying body weights, (ranging from 0.5 to 2.2 g) from infected mango branches were exposed to 5, 10, 20, 40, 50, 100, 200, 400 and 800 infective juveniles (J3) in 6 cm diameter Petri dishes lined with filter paper. Fifty percent of the insects were killed within 48 hours of exposure to J3 at all inoculum levels, and more than 40% of the remaining insects were killed during the following 24 hours. The J3 was able to develop and reproduce in the insect cadaver. At lower inoculum levels the motility of the insect was reduced. The LC50 of S. carpocapsae for the mango borer appeared to be between 40 to 50 J3. P. xylostella seemed to be more susceptible to the S. carpocapsae strain All. Insect mortality of 100% resulted when the insects were exposed to 100, 200, 400, 800, and 1600 J3 while feeding on Brassica chinensis var. pekinensis leaf disks in 6 cm diameter Petri dishes. The J3s were able to develop and propagate in the insect cadaver. Within 72 hours of the insects being killed, the entire body was filled with nematodes at different developmental stages. The number of nematodes recovered from each dissected cadaver ranged from 12 to 99, comprising males, females and the propagative stage. It was evident that the J3 penetrated the insects through the spiracles and the anal opening in P. xylostella, and probably through a similar process in R. simulans, as indicated by the congregations of large number of J3 in the spiracle.