Effective Mass Production Technique for entomopathogenic nematodes

Abstract

Sugarcane is a commercial and industrial cash crop grown across many states in the country. The crop is source of employment for millions and earns huge foreign exchange annually. Every year sugarcane suffers seriously from many pests, of which white grub is economically important. This pest causes heavy yield losses annually, in ratoon crops under severe cases the losses will be up to 100%. It has threatened the sugar bowl of many states and a major concern for many growers and scientists. There is a need for popularizing the use of EPN for insect pest management both soil borne and foliar insect pests. EPN is the best solution for the management of root grub manace in sugarcane. By the modified method farmers can mass produce EPN and use effectively. EPN are not availeble commercially, no private companies are producing EPN for large scale. Utilization of EPN by the farmers can be increased only when production of EPN is feasible at farm level, besides reduction in cost of production for commercial operators.