Approaches

Novel approaches to be followed

First in the country, a consortium of specialists comprising Nematologist, microbiologist, insect physiologist and agricultural chemist, will work hand in hand, to understand the basic mechanism of symbiosis and virulence in indigenous nematode-bacterium-insect complexes, never known before in the prior art. The novelty of the investigation lies in pursuing basic research on indigenous strains. Models will be devised on the nematode bacterium insect specificities in relation to major cropping systems. Despite high similarities in the life cycles of Xenorhabdus-Steinernema and Photorhabdus-Heterorhabditis, the symbiosis is widely divergent. A correlation between the respective bacterial symbionts and their nematode host will be established to see whether the nematode-bacterium relationship is species- specific, obligatory or facultative. Differences between the two phases of bacteria will be studied and the factors responsible for phase transition to be identified. Chemical nature of biotoxins produced by the bacteria, will be established. Virulence potential of various indigenous isolates will be assessed based on the speed to kill and speed of multiplication of the EPN-EPB complex and the LD₅₀