Role of Entomopathogenic Nematodes in Organic Farming and Sustainable Development

Abstract

Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are presently accumulating in the environment harming the ecosystem, causing pollution, and spreading some of the diseases. Nematodes can be considered as entomopath¬ogenic (EPN) if they fulfil criteria for entomo-pathogenicity when they bearing a pathogenic bacterium within a dauer juveniles juvenile, releasing the bacterium within the host, active host-seeking and penetration by dauer, rap¬id insect death, nematode and bacterial reproduction, reassociation of the pathogenic bacteria with new generations of dauer juveniles; and emergence of IJs from the cadaver so that the cycle can be repeated. Synthetic chemical pesticides have various disadvantages which include crop and soil contamination; killing of beneficial fauna and flora; resistance development in insects and adverse effects due to contamination in food chain and other environment related issues. To minimize pesticides contamination, EPN were identified as biological control agents and most suitable natural enemies of problematic insects because they reduce risk to humans and other related vertebrates