New method of transporting nematodes to crops

2002/05/16 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Nekazaritza

Scientists have long known that there are lethal nematodes for insects. But for a long time they have not been able to imagine how to transport these nematodes to combat the pests of agricultural fields. One of the most widely used methods so far has been the placement of nematodes in a liquid and evaporation of plantations by spray. With no good results, new methods have begun to develop, being one of the most effective the transport of nematodes in the bodies of dead insects.

Through this system, nematodes are provided with nutrients to reach the soil and are easier to contaminate other insects. But bodies have a problem: they are not easy to handle, they are very fragile and have a great tendency to stick together.

To overcome problems and achieve effective control, the U.S. Agricultural Research Service has just patented a method to facilitate the manipulation of corpses. The method is to moisten the bodies with a mixture of starch and clay. By hardening the mixture, the body becomes much easier to handle as it is governed. Upon reaching the ground, the mixture dissolves in the water and the body softens. When nematodes have multiplied a lot, the gorputs are removed and the new insects are contaminated and killed. This will eliminate insects that are pests in plantations without contaminating the soil with pesticides.