EFFECTS OF LIVE AND DEAD INFECTIVE LARVAE OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODE, Steinernema feltiae ON SECOND STAGE JUVENILES AND EGGS OF ROOT-KNOT NEMATODE Meloidogyne javanica *

Entomopathogenic nematodes are mainly used as biological agents against insect pests. Recently, their efficacy is being studied on plant parasitic nematodes as well. In this study, the efficacy of live and dead infective juveniles of entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema feltiae with concentrations of 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 IJs/ml in 24 well plates containing 50 eggs, 50 larvae and a combination of 50 eggs and larvae of the root knot nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) per well was separately evaluated. The experimental design was split plot and results were recorded after 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours. The experiment was replicated twice. The results showed that both live and dead entomopathogenic nematodes have significant difference on root knot second stage juveniles (J₂) mortality as well as egg hatching.But, live and dead S. feltiae did not show significant difference on root knot nematode egg hatching and mortality of J2 when a mixture of 50 eggs and larvae were used. Live and dead IJs caused 38 and 32% second stage mortality of the root-knot nematode and showed 33 and 37% egg hatching inhibition, respectively. Accordingly, in the experiment of mixture of eggs and second stage larvae, 31 and 33% larval mortality and 33 and 34% hatching inhibition were realized by live and dead larvae of the EPNs. Generally, the larval mortality and egg hatching inhibition were increased and decreased respectively as the incubation time increased.