Abstract
Many researchers confirmed that entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) of the genera Heterorhabditis and Steinernema can be cultivated in vitro using artificial media that containing animal nutrition. However, artificial media with insect component hasn’t been widely studied. This research aims to analyze the population of EPNs isolate of Semarang cultivated in mealworm powder media. Five doses of mealworm powder (Tenebrio molitor) were tested in this research, i.e: 0.5; 1.0; 1.5; 2.0 g. Culture media using 1 g of mealworm larvae was used as control. The best treatment was further tested for its pathogenicity on Macrotermes sp. at seven levels of invective juveniles (IJs) : 0; 50; 100; 150; 200; 250; 300 IJs/mL. Each treatment was repeated five times. The EPNs population and termites mortality were analyzed using ANAVA, whereas pathogenic value was calculated using Probit analysis. The result showed EPNs population were significantly (LSD test; α> 0.05), likewise on termites mortality. The EPNs isolate of Semarang optimally at 0.5 g mealworm powder and pathogenicity against termites based on LD50 and LD90 values at 220 JI/mL and 410 JI/mL doses, respectively. In conclusion, this result can be an alternative to mass cultivation of EPNs, in effort of development of local bioinsecticides. The findings of this study also inform farmers that EPNs can be easily cultivated using the simple and available materials.
Highlights
Pests insects control using chemical pesticide has caused many negative impacts such as pest resistance, secondary pests explosion, poisoning in humans, and environmental damage (Horowitz and Ishaaya, 2013)
Efforts to suppress the use of chemical insecticides have been widely practiced, including an alternative use of massproduced entomopathogenic nematode (EPNs). the entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) is a parasite for potential pest insects that live underground or above the ground.The EPNs is recently used to control pests in Indonesia (Sucipto, 2008)
The results of the EPNs isolate of Semarang (Indriyanti et al, 2014) revealed that the EPN found was dominated by the genus Steinernema sp. and the highest abundance was found on farmland area
Summary
Pests insects control using chemical pesticide has caused many negative impacts such as pest resistance, secondary pests explosion, poisoning in humans, and environmental damage (Horowitz and Ishaaya, 2013). Mass cultivation in vitro using artificial media without insect substitution still has a weakness because the composition of nutrients has not fully resembled the components of hemolymph of natural host, so the population growth is not optimum. Artificial media by Indriyanti et al (2015) using soy powder, chicken liver, and dog food revealed that the highest EPNs population was achieved at the second week its population decreased. This condition is presumably because artificial media haven’t been able to provide the essential nutrients needed for the growth of EPNs and their symbiotic bacteria, such as the nutrients in the insect hemolymph (Chaerani et al, 2012)
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