• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.420-427
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• 2007

We investigated the temperature effects on the virulence, development, reproduction, and otility of two Korean isolates of entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema glaseri Dongrae strain and S. longicaudum Nonsan strain. In addition, we studied the growth and virulence of their respective symbiotic bacterium, Xenorhabdus poinarii for S. glaseri and Xenorhabdus sp. for S. longicaudum, in an insect host at different temperatures. Insects infected with the nematode-bacterium complex or the symbiotic bacterium was placed at $13^{\circ}C,\;18^{\circ}C,\;24^{\circ}C,\;30^{\circ}C,\;or\;35^{\circ}C$ in the dark and the various parameters were monitored. Both nematode species caused mortality at all temperatures tested, with higher mortalities occurring at temperatures between $24^{\circ}C\;and\;30^{\circ}C$. However, S. longicaudum was better adapted to cold temperatures and caused higher mortality at $18^{\circ}C$ than S. glaseri. Both nematode species developed to adult at all temperatures, but no progeny production occurred at $13^{\circ}C\;or\;35^{\circ}C$. For S. glaseri, nematode progeny production was best at inocula levels above 20 infective juveniles/host at $24^{\circ}C\;and\;30^{\circ}C$, but for S. longicaudum, progeny production was generally better at $24^{\circ}C$. Steinernema glaseri showed the greatest motility at $30^{\circ}C$, whereas S. longicaudum showed good motility at $24^{\circ}C\;and\;30^{\circ}C$. Both bacterial species grew at all tested temperatures, but Xenorhabdus sp. was more virulent at low temperatures $(13^{\circ}C\;and\;18^{\circ}C)$ than X. poinarii.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.321-330
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• 1999

Nematodes were isolated using silkwom trap through the investigation of 100 soil samples from various biotopes in Korea. The 30 nematode strains from soil and dead insects by the pathogenicity aganinst silkworms (Bombyx mori mori) and insect pests of Calliphora vomitoria, Pseufazetia separata, Palomena angulosa, and Melolontha incana. Mortailty of the silkworm larvae and pupae were as high as 100% by nematode infection, those of insect of pests were varied from 20 to 100%. The 30 strains of entemopathogenic nematodes were classified into five groups of Rhabditidae, Diplogatroidae, Heterorhabitidae, Steinernematidae, and Tylenchida by morphological criteria. The genetic relationships among the 30 nematode strains were analyzed by various RAPD bands with twenty primers. The 30 nematode strains were classified into six major subgroups on the basis of the genetic similarity coefficient of 0.853. The grouping by RAPD was agree with those of morphological taxa in discrimination of the higher group, however, was not completely agree in the subgroup. The family Steinernematidae belong to Rhabditida was clarified as closer to the Tylenchida, rather than the other Rhabditida of Heterorhabitidae, Rhabditidae, and Diplogatroidae in genetic distance valule. From the result of the morphological classification and RAPD of the genomic DNA showed that genetic relationship analysis furnish infurmation on phylogenetic classification and relationships of entomopathogenic nematodes. The application of genetic similarity will overcome the limitation of taxonomy and classification of morphologically simple nematode. Several primers were confirmed those utility of identification for individual nematode strains, the methods of molecular genetics secured the simplicity, rapidity and accuracy on the selection of entomopathogenic nematodes.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.303-308
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• 1999

An in vitro culture method for entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema glaseri was developed. A symbiotic bacterium was isolated from Steinernema glaseri and identified as Xenorhabdus nematophilus. Phase variation that differed in some biochemical characteristics of symbiotic bacterium was observed. Entomopathogenic nematodes carried only phase I bacterium in their guts. Phase I bacterium could be converted into phase II form in in vitro culture medium consisting of 5% yeast extract, 0.5% NaCl, 0.05% $K_2HPO_4$, $0.02% MgSO_4$.$7H_2O$. The optimum temperature for bacterial growth was $28^{\circ}C$. The pH of the culture medium increased up to 9.0-9.5 during the exponential growth period of the culture, regardless of initial pH 6-7. Various culture media such as chicken offal, dog food, bovine liver, peanut, and so on were tested for in vitro culture of the nematodes. The best medium for Steinernema glaseri production was obtained from concentrated homogenate of bovine liver and the nematode growth was highest at 80% bovine liver. In the co-culture of entomopathogenic nematode with its symbiont, the growth rate of nematodes was 2 times faster than that without its symbiont and the nematode concentration reached about $5.5\times10^4$/mL within 15 days.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.50-53
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• 1991

The entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema carpocapsae and Heterorhabditis bacteriophoTa, were laboratory tested for the control of rice stem borer Chilo suppressalis. When 8 cm long of two rice stems infected by rice stem borers were treated with S. carpocapsae by spray application to the concentrations of 250, 500, 1,000, or 2,000 nematodes/ml, 68.6 $\pm$ 10.0-94.9 $\pm$ 2.6 % control was obtained. When 8 cm long of rice stems infected by rice stem borers were treated with H. bacteriophoTa by spray application to the concentrations of 100, 200, 400, or 800 nematodes/ ml, 91.4 $\pm$ 0.7-100 % control was obtained. On the other hand, when 8 cm long of three rice stems were treated with H. bacteriophora by dipping application to the concentrations of 100 or 200 nematodes/ml, 46.2 $\pm$ 4.7-63.1 $\pm$ 4.7 % control was obtained. Because the moist habitat of rice stems were favorable to nematode survival and searching abilities, entomopathogenic nematode, were confirmed to be a potential biological control agents against rice stem borers.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.145-152
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• 2003

Field application of the entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpncapsae, is limited by its susceptibility to UV irradiation and desiccation especially at leaf spray control. This study was conducted to develop the control technique using alginate biocapsulation of the nematodes against the beet armyworm, Spodoprera exigua and the tobacco cutworm, Sp. litura that are normally infesting hosts above ground level. The alginate capsules including infective juveniles gave significant feeding toxicities to the larvae of the two lepidopteran species. The lethality followed a typical sigmoid dose-mortality pattern with increase of the nematode densities embedded in the capsules. Moisture content in the capsule was critical to the survival of the infective juveniles. More than 80% nematodes could survive above 10% moisture content remained in the capsule. Remaining moisture content within the capsule was dependent on relative humidity, ambient temperature, and capsule size, but not on citric acid reaction time during capsule formation. More than 80% of infective juveniles in the alginate capsules could survive in distilled water at 15$^{\circ}C$ for 60 days. When these nematode capsules containing welsh onion extract as another phagostimulant were applied on the 3rd instar larvae of Sp. exigua infesting peanut plants, they resulted in about 90% control efficacy. These results indicate that the alginate capsulation can be used for leaf-spray agent of the entomopathogenic nematodes as well as for improved storage purpose.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.644-648
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• 2001

The biological control potential of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) can be enhanced by improved culture efficiency. Optimization of the media is a key factor for improving in vitro mass production of entomopathogenic nematodes. This study reports the effect of medium concentration. The medium is a combination of carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, sats, and growth factors, on the growth of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and its symbiotic bacterium Photorhabdus liminescens. The overall optimal medium concentration for nematode recovery, hermaphrodite size, bacterial mass, infective juveniles (IJs) yield, and doubling time was 84 g/l. At this concentration rate, the doubling time of IJs production and the biomass of symbiotic bacteria was 1.6 days and 12.8 g/l, respectively. The maximum yield of $2.4{\times}{10^5}IJs/ml$ was attained within a one-generation cycle (eight days). The yield coefficient was $2.8{\times}{10^6}$ IJs/g medium, and the maximum productivity was $3.1{\times}{10^7}$ IJs per day. Medium concentration affected two independent factors, recovery and hermaphrodite size, which in turn influenced the final yield.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.12-16
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• 1999

Xenorhabdus nematophilus sp., an insect-pathogenic bacterium, was newly isolated from Korean entomopathogenic nematode of Steinernema carpocapsae, which can be used as a useful bioinsecticide. Primary and secondary form variants of Xenorhabdus nematophilus were observed when cultured in vitro. Primary form variants adsorbed bromothymol blue, while secondary form did not. However, many other characters of two variants were very similar. The variants were all rod-shaped and cell size was highly variable ranging from 0.5 by 2.0 ${\mu}$m to 1.0 by 5.0 ${\mu}$m. Both produced highly toxic substances and killed the insect larva within 20∼38 hr, indicating that insect pathogenicity of Xenorhabdus is not directly associated with its phase variation. In addition, cell-free culture supernatant of Xenorhabdus was sufficient to kill the insect larva by injecting it ito insect hemolymph; however, cell-harboring culture broth was more effective for killing the insect. The use of Xenorhabdus nematophilus may provide a potential alternative to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 1998

A simple method for the in vivo production of third-stage infective juveniles(IJs) of Steinernema glaseri was developed. Using Galleria mellonella larvae, only IJs can be rapidly generated inadequate quantities for field application. The nematode inoculation concentration and incubation temperature were critically important. The most effective temperature for infectivity of Steinernema glaseri IJs to Galleria mellonella larvae was 33$^\circ C$. However, the total number of menatodes harvested at 25$^\circ C$ about 66,000 IJs per larva was significantly greater than those at other temperatures. The optimal inoculation number of nematodes was 60 to 80 nematodes per host larva. The higher nematode inoculation concentration of 100 IJs per larva caused a rapid decrease in the total number of IJs harvested. As the inoculation medium pH increased, the number of IJs harvested increased and reached about 110,000 IJs per larva at pH 9.0. The pathogenicity of IJs decreased y increasing the salt concentration in the medium.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2001.09a
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• pp.107-110
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• 2001

The biological control potential of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) can be enhanced by improved culture efficiency. Optimization of media is a key factor for improving in vitro mass production of entomopathogenic nematodes. EPN yield was dependant of complex medium concentration, of which mixture is carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, salts, and growth factors, on the growth of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and its symbiotic bacterium Photorhabdus luminescensLipids.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.201-207
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• 2000

The strategies of commercial development have been focused on the economy of scale for a process. The design of media has been recognized as a key in assuring mass production of entomopathogenic nematodes. Media optimization was conducted with insect host, proteins, lipids, and symbiotic bacteria mass. G. mellonella (insect host) produced about 290,000 infective juveniles per one. Complex media produced about 250,000 infective juveniles / ml in liquid culture within 8 days (one generation).