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Title: VIRULENCE AND PERSISTENCE OF STEINERNEMA FELTIAE TOWARDS HOUSE FLY, MUSCA DOMESTICA, IN BOVINE MANURE.

Author
item CLARK, BRIAN - UNIV. OF NEBRASKA
item Taylor, David
item SZALANSKI, ALLEN - UNIV. OF NEBRASKA
item POWERS, THOMAS - UNIV. OF NEBRASKA

Submitted to: Journal of Nematology
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/1/2000
Publication Date: 12/1/2000
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The persistence of fly eating nematodes in manure was examined. Nematodes were applied to cups with manure and stored for up to 8 weeks. At weekly intervals, cups infected with nematodes and a set to which only water had been added were inoculated with 100 house fly larvae. The number of house flies surviving to emerge as adults was counted. During the course of the experiment, the nematodes killed 20% fewer flies each week they were in the manure. After 4 weeks, the nematodes were no longer effective at killing house fly larvae.

Technical Abstract: The virulence of Steinernema feltiae SN towards house fly, Musca domestica, and nematode persistence in bovine manure was examined. Nematodes were applied at the LD99 rate of 106 nematodes per m2 to thirty-two one-liter containers containing 150 g of manure. Another thirty-two containers without nematodes were controls. At weekly intervals, 100 third instar M. domestica larvae were added to four of the treated and four of the control containers. Survival was determined by adult house fly emergence. There was a twenty percent weekly decline in the infectivity of the nematodes towards house fly larvae. After four weeks there was no significant difference between treatment and control.