REPRODUCTIVE POTENTIAL OF ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODE, STEINERNEMA FELTIAE AGAINST CABBAGE BUTTERFLY, PIERIS BRASSICAE (L.)Summira Rafiq, M.A. Mantoo, T.H. Askary, M. Anwar Bhat, Fehim Jeelani, Rakshanda Anayat, and Shabir Ahmad GanaiAbstract The reproductive potential of native strain of Steinernema feltiae MN044868 at different concentrations (50, 100, 150 and 200%) was evaluated against 4th and 5th instar larvae of cabbage butterfly (P.brassicae). The results revealed that reproduction rate was highest at concentration of 50 IJs as compared to 100, 150 and 200IJs. Application of S. feltiae MN044868 @ 50 IJs/larvae resulted in the highest progeny production (0.403 x 106) in 5th instar larva followed by 100 IJs/larvae (0.390 x 106), 150 IJs/larvae(0.320 x 106) and 200 IJs/ larvae (0.317 x 106) whereas in case of 4th instar larvae, lowest progeny production0.365 x 106 was recorded at 50IJs/larvae, followed by100 IJs/larvae (0.334 x 106), 150 IJs/larvae(0.310 x 106) and 200 IJs/larvae (0.304 x 106), respectively. |