,  , The size of infective Steinernema arenarium juveniles is variable and ranges from 724 to 1408 ㎛. Effects of harvest time and infective juvenile size on pathogenicity, development, and reproduction were examined in the last instar of the great wax moth, Galleria mellonella. Harvest time of infective juveniles (IJs) of S. arenarium affected pathogenicity. IJs harvested at the 10th day from trapping were more pathogenic than those harvested the 3rd day from trapping. Mortality of G. mellonella also depending on harvest time, i.e, 100% died within 48h when IJs were harvested at the 10th day, without relation to size. However, mortality was 40% in the small size group (SSG) compared with 18% in the large size group (LSG) within 48h when IJs were harvested at the 3rd day. Establishment of S. arenarium within the host was different depending on IJ size. The number of established IJs was 1.8 in the SSG, 3.3 in the LSG, and 3.2 in the mixed size group (MSG) when IJs were harvested at the 3rd day, and 5.3 in the SSG, 7.4 in the LSG, and 7.6 in the MSG when IJs were harvested at the 10th day. The length of the female adult was 7,070.5 ㎛ in the SSG and 7,893.9 ㎛ in the LSG and that of the male was 1,460.5 ㎛ in the SSG and 1,688.2 ㎛ in the LSG when IJs were harvested at the 3rd day. The length of the female adult was 7,573.6 ㎛ in the SSG and 8,305.4 ㎛ in the LSG and that of the male adult was 1,733.4 ㎛ in the SSG and 1,794.4 ㎛ in the LSG when IJs were harvested at the 10th day. Harvest time and size of IJs did not influence numbers of progeny or size of IJS.

Effect of inoculation level on pathogenicity, development, and propagation of entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema arenarium was investigated using the last instar of great wax moth, Galleria mellonella. Pathogenicity of S. arenarium was higher with increasing inoculation level representing 82% at the rate of 5 infective juveniles (IJs) while >98% at the rate of >10 IJs. The number of IJs penetrated into the host was 2.7, 5.0, 7.4, and 12.2 at the rate of 5, 10, 20, and 40 IJs, respectively while 24.3 at the rate of 80 IJs and 40.2 at the rate of 160 IJs. Inoculation level did not affect female adult size (4,616 to 6,444 ㎛) while affected male adult size (1,600 to 1,934 ㎛). The rate of stunted female adults was 70.2% at the inoculation level of 80 IJs and 63.7% at the inoculation level of 160 IJs. The number of progenies was 20,431, 26,696, 47,943, 50,516, 58,701, and 74,235 at the rate of 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 IJs, respectively. The body lengths of IJs were different depending on inoculation level ranging from 636 to 1,496 ㎛.

Entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae GSN1 strain was evaluated for the environmentally sound control of Tebenna issikii (Lepidoptera: Choreutidae) in the laboratory. The corrected mortality of Tebenna issikii larvae was 100% at the 40 infective juveniles (Ijs)/larva 3 days after treatment with S. carpocapsae GSN1 strain in Petri dish. LC₅₀ value of S. carpocapsae GSN1 strain against Tebenna issikii was 5.7 Ijs. The mean penetration numbers of Ijs of S. carpocapsae GSN1 strain at the 5, 10, 20, 40 and 80 Ijs/larva in a Tebenna issikii larva were 1.4, 1.4, 3.2, 5.6 and 11.9 Ijs/larva, respectively. However penetration rate of Ijs of S. carpocapsae GSN1 strain at 5 Ijs/larva was the highest among other nematode concentrations. Progeny of S. carpocapsae GSN1 strain in a Tebenna issikii larva was higher with increasing nematode concentration.

Laboratory tests were conducted to determine the susceptibility of the alfalfa weevil, Hypera postica to Korean entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema carpocapsae GSN1 strain (ScG), S. glaseri Dongrae strain (SgD), Heterorhabditis bacteriophora Hamyang strain (HbH), and Heterorhabditis sp. Gyeongsan strain (HeG) at the petri dish assay. The larval mortality of H. postica was significantly different depending on nematode species and treatment concentration. SgD and HeG strain were more effective against H. postica larva than ScG and HbH strain. When SgD and HeG strain were treated with the rate of ＞20 infective juveniles (ijs) per alfalfa weevil larva, mortality was ca. 77.5-100% at the late instars of H. postica in 3 days. The number of established nematode was significantly different depending on nematode species, whereas number of progeny was not significantly different. The mean number of established ijs of SgD strain in a host was the highest at 80 ijs by 30.2. The highest progeny number of HeG strain was 2,671.5 with 80 ijs. All nematode strains were not parasitic entirely to H. postica adults. These results show that alfalfa weevil late larva is highly susceptible to Korean entomopathogenic nematodes in the laboratory.

2005년 10월부터 2006년 11월까지 경남 산청군의 농업기술센터 약초전시포에서 32목 50과 121속 132종의 약용식물을 가해하는 절지동물들을 조사하였다. 그 결과 9목 44과 86속 98종의 해충류가 채집되었는데, 대부분의 약용식물에서 5종 이하의 해충이 채집되었다. 그러나 부용 (Hibiscus mutabilis), 갯기름나물 (Peucedanum japonicum), 독활 (Aralia cordata), 물푸레나무 (Fraxinus rhynchophylla), 바디나물 (Angelica decursiva), 뻐꾹채 (Rhaponticum uniflorum), 인동덩굴 (Lonicera japonica), 자작나무(Betula platyphylla), 짚신나물(Agrimonia pilosa)등에서는 5종 이상의 해충이 채집되었다. 채집된 절지동물 중 98.5%가 약용식물의 잎을 가해하고 있었다. 시기별로는 5월이 6목 20과 32속 36종으로 가장 많았다. 해충들은 대부분 5종 이하의 약용식물에서 채집되었지만 섬서구메뚜기 (Atractomorpha lata) 와 알락수염노린재(Dolycoris baccarum), 복숭아혹진딧물 (Myzus persicae), 애긴노린재(Nysius plebejus)는 각각 42종, 22종, 20종, 15종의 약용식물에서 채집되었다. 그리고 섬서구메뚜기와 복숭아혹진딧물의 기주범위가 넓었으며 발생량도 많아 가장 문제되는 해충들이었다. 5월에는 목화진딧물 (Aphis gossypii)이 우점 해충이었으며 6월에는 알락수염노린재, 8월과 9월은 섬서구메뚜기, 10월에는 복숭아혹진딧물이 우점 해충이었다.