Distribution & Preference of Entamopathogenic Bacteria across Different Soils of Karnataka

Sonia Bohra, M. K. Shivaprakash

Abstract: Photorhabdus is an effective biological weapon against insect pest of crop plants which act as syringe like mechanism and triggered death of pests with in 48 h. Photorhabdus luminescens is a symbiont of nematodes and a broad spectrum insect pathogen. This study aims to collect Entamopathogenic nematode (EPN) from different agro climatic zones of Karnataka and isolate Photorhabdus luminescens from them as it act as effective biocontrol agent against numerous insect pests. Entamopathogenic nematodes are collected from cultivated and noncultivated areas of different agro climatic zones of Karnataka using G. mellonella, a host susceptible to EPN by baiting method. Percent infection of G. mellonella larvae by EPN in soil across different locations was recorded. Photorhabdus bacteria were isolated and identified using standard synaptic keys according to Bergeys Manual of Systematic Bacteriology. It was further cofirmed using 16S rDNA primer. The population of endosymbiont Photorhabdus found less in non cultivated land as compared to cultivated soils of Karnataka.

Keywords: Distribution, P luminescens, EPNs, Heterorhabditis, agroclimatic zone, infection