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A survey of entomopathogenic nematodes was conducted in sugar cane crops in a total of 14 soils, and positive results were obtained for strain MC5-2014 in the municipality of Tepalcingo, Morelos, in soil with a sandy loam texture and a pH of 6.4. Species determination was performed via morphological and morphometric techniques by searching for a tubular stoma with a swollen cylindrical pharyngeal body and a metacorpus in the basal part. The range of body length (L) was 750 to 1200 μm in females and 720 to 910 μm in males, while the corresponding maximum widths (W) of the body were 30 to 60 μm and 20 to 30 μm, respectively. Males exhibited bursa with a 1 + 1 + 3 + 3 distribution of papillae, and females exhibited a vulva located at the mid-body. For molecular identification, the ITS region of ribosomal DNA was used. Virulence tests (LC50) were conducted with Galleria mellonella, and a value of 4.732 was obtained for infective juveniles (IJs). Taking taxonomic and molecular characteristics into account, the isolate was determined to be Oscheius myriophila. The isolation of this strain represents the first geographic report of O. myriophila in Mexico, and it should be noted that the cultivation of sugar cane occurs with constant application of insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers as well as harvesting activities such as burning of the crop for harvest. The O. myriophila isolate has the potential to be used in the future as a method of biological control in our country. A survey of entomopathogenic nematodes was conducted in sugar cane crops in a total of 14 soils, and positive results were obtained for strain MC5-2014 in the municipality of Tepalcingo, Morelos, in soil with a sandy loam texture and a pH of 6.4. Species determination was performed via morphological and morphometric techniques by searching for a tubular stoma with a swollen cylindrical pharyngeal body and a metacorpus in the basal part. The range of body length (L) was 750 to 1200 μm in females and 720 to 910 μm in males, while the corresponding maximum widths (W) of the body were 30 to 60 μm and 20 to 30 μm, respectively. Males exhibited bursa with a 1 + 1 + 3 + 3 distribution of papillae, and females exhibited a vulva located at the mid-body. For molecular identification, the ITS region of ribosomal DNA was used. Virulence tests (LC50) were conducted with Galleria mellonella, and a value of 4.732 was obtained for infective juveniles (IJs). Taking taxonomic and molecular characteristics into account, the isolate was determined to be Oscheius myriophila. The isolation of this strain represents the first geographic report of O. myriophila in Mexico, and it should be noted that the cultivation of sugar cane occurs with constant application of insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and fertilizers as well as harvesting activities such as burning of the crop for harvest. The O. myriophila isolate has the potential to be used in the future as a method of biological control in our country.

Bacteria of the genus Xenorhabdus live as the natural symbionts of the entomopathogenic nematodes of the family Steinernematidae. They produce a wide range of toxic secondary metabolites of different chemical structure and effect. The synthesis of particular products is specific for each strain of Xenorhabdus. The thesis is focused on evaluating the impact of bacterial metabolites on facultatively entomoparasitic nematodes Oscheius myriophila, the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the phytophagous potato cyst nematode Globodera rostochiensis. Target species of nematodes were exposed to 37 strains of Xenorhabdus bacteria, isolated from various species of Steinernematidae. Testing the impact of bacterial metabolites on O. myriophila and C. elegans nematodes was performed both by direct cultivation of target species on solid medium with live bacterial cultures as well as in sterilized liquid bacteria cultures. The effect of toxic substances on G. rostochiensis was evaluated only in selected sterilized bacteria cultures.

The aim of the present study was to study the occurrence of scavenging behavior among different species and strains of entomopathogenic nematodes. Another part of the study was focused on scavenging of the selected entomopathogenic nematodes in insects killed by various non-native strains of Xenorhabdus bovinenii. Further aim was to investigate the interspecific competition of the selected entomopathogenic nematodes with the nematode Oscheius myriophila for dead hosts. The final aim was the search for possible toxicity of the selected X. bovienii strains against nematode Oscheius myriophila.