Assessment of the virulence and biocontrol potential of entomopathogenic nematodes against soil-dwelling stages of the small hive beetle

We conducted comprehensive laboratory experiments to evaluate the biocontrol potential of 32 Australian strains of five EPN species (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora, H. indica, H. zealandica, Steinernema carpocapsae and S. feltiae) against SHB. In a glasshouse experiment, the efficacy of nine EPN strains were tested in soil mesocosms that simulated field conditions.