Newly Discovered Insect-killing Nematode Could Protect Crops

•  Scientists have discovered a new tiny worm species, Steinernema adamsi, that infects and kill insects.
•  When placed in a container, a low dose of Steinernema adamsi worms killed wax moths in two days.
•  The research team hopes to identify the breadth of insects Steinernema adamsi can infect and examine the nematode’s unique properties to determine its potential to control crop pests.

Scientists have discovered a tiny worm species that infects and kill insects. They describe the new species and its potential to control crop pests in the Journal of Parasitology.

Researchers performed DNA analysis on different Steinernema samples from Thailand and realized the samples were genetically unlike any they had sequenced before. This unexpected discovery opened a new avenue to study the ecological and evolutionary processes related to parasites, pathogens, their hosts, and their environmental microbiomes.

The new species, named Steinernema adamsi, is a member of the nematode family Steinernema, which are commonly used in agriculture to control insect parasites without pesticides. As juveniles, these nematodes live in the soil with sealed mouths and explore the soil in search of insects to infect. They can enter the mouth or anus and defecate highly pathogenic bacteria that kills the host within 48 hours.

″Though there are more than 100 species of Steinernema, we’re always on the lookout for new ones because each has unique features,″ said Adler Dillman, professor at University of California, Riverside. ″Some might be better in certain climates or with certain insects.″

The team placed Steinernema adamsi in containers with wax moths and found that they killed the moths in two days. This experiment confirmed the nematode’s ability to kill insects, but the researchers hope to identify the breadth of insects it can infect and determine if it can resist heat, UV light, or dryness.

″This is exciting because the discovery adds another insect-killer that could teach us new and interesting biology,″ explained Dillman. ″They’re from a warm, humid climate that could make them a good parasite of insects in environments where currently commercially available orchard nematodes have been unable to flourish.″