Vol. 9, Issue 1, Part C (2024)

Author(s): KT Kavitha, D Saranya and Bhaskaran Ravi Latha

Abstract: Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) have been considered as potential candidates for biocontrol of ixodid ticks as chemical acaricides are not environmentally friendly. The present study was carried out to isolate the EPNs from soil using insect-bait method and study their pathogenicity on cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus on the basis of percent mortality under laboratory conditions. A total of 25 soil samples were collected from different places of Tamil Nadu and were baited with ticks. Amongst the soil samples, EPNs were observed from only one soil sample of Kattupakkam, Kanchipuram district, Tamil Nadu baited ticks and were identified as Steinernema carpocapsae based on the morphological characteristics. The pathogenicity of S. carpocapsae was tested against engorged females of R. microplus and there was100 percent tick mortality was observed after fifth day of exposure at the concentration of 1000 infective juveniles of the nematode per Petri dish (6 ticks /Petri dish). The study indicated that the local S. carpocapsae was effective for control of engorged females of R. microplus.