Effect of temperature, population density and shelf life of EPN heterorhabditis indica (RCR) in sodium alginate gel formulation

Abstract

For long term storage of infective juveniles (IJs) of entomopathogenic nematode, Heterorhabditis indica were formulated in sodium alginate gel capsule and tested in vitro at four different temperatures (10, 15, 20 and 28 ± 1.72° C) and at 85% relative humidity. The experimental results showed that the survival of Heterorhabditis indica was higher at refrigerated condition (10ÚC) up to a density of 1,000 IJs per capsule and 90 days of storage followed by storage at 15° C. EPNs stored at room temperature (28.54 ± 1.72° C) in the capsules were all dead after two months of storage. © JBiopest.