Importance of Question

Nowadays the topical problem in the sphere of plant protection is the search and the direct application of plant protection agents with a high degree of effectiveness and without the immune resistance of target pest species to an active ingredient of pesticides. Gradually a consumer prefers more eco-friendly products which have no a negative influence on a crop (growth process inhibiting, phytotoxicity etc.) and beneficial entomofauna.

Currently in this connection it has been risen the interest to the entomopathogenic (parasitic) nematodes of the order Rhabditida the families Heterorhabditidae and Steinernematidae which can be used as biological agents against pests.

The entomopathogenic nematodes are able to infest more than a thousand of pest species of agricultural and ornamental plants from various families (Agromyzidae, Sciaridae, Curuclionidae, Scarabaeidae, Scolytidae, Culicidae, Braconidae, Artiidae, Dioptidae, Galleriidae, Lasiocampidae, Noctuidae, Notodontidae, Pyralidae, Sphingidae, Torticidae, Pieridae, Blattellidae and others) including quarantine species. They afflict all the stages, except an egg. Practical application against phytophagans is possible for a wide range of crops (fruit and berry crops, grape, ornamentals, vegetables and mushrooms) in the conditions of outdoor growing and glass covered ground.

Resistance to many modern synthetic pesticides and absence of pathogenic effect on plants, pollinators (bees, bumble-bees), earthworms, entomophages and acariphages allow parasitic nematodes to be used in the management programs of phytophagan populations. The products containing the entomopathocenic nematodes can be applied together with the chemical and the biological agents of plant protection. Now the entomopathogenic nematodes are widely used in the integrated systems of plant protection in USA, Canada and many European countries.