History of the discovery of the nematode Phasmarhabditis Hermaphrodita

Research on Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita nematodes was initiated by two British scientists, Neil Boemare and Michael Akhurst, in the 1980s. Their goal was to find organisms that could be used for the biological control of slugs, which are major pests in agriculture. agriculture and gardens.

Boemare and Akhurst conducted extensive studies on nematodes of the genus Phasmarhabditis and isolated a new species of nematode which they named Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita. They found that these nematodes were specifically adapted to parasitize slugs and therefore held great promise for the biological control of these pests.

The research team studied the life cycle, behavior and mode of action of Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita nematodes. They found that these nematodes had a symbiotic association with bacteria of the genus Photorhabdus. The bacteria produce toxins that kill the slugs, while the nematodes feed on the bacteria and dead slug tissue.

The results of this research work have generated great interest in the use of Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita nematodes in the field of biological control of slugs. Since then, they have been studied extensively and have been widely used in different countries for the biological control of slug populations in crops, gardens and green spaces.

The discovery of Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita nematodes was a significant development in biological slug control, providing a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional chemical control methods.