Evaluation of the action of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae) isolate HP88 on the biology of engorged females of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae)

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of the entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) Heterorhabditis bacteriophora strain HP88 on the biological parameters of the non-parasite phase of engorged females of the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. Six groups were formed, each containing 20 engorged females, which were exposed to the following concentrations of infective juveniles of this nematode: 0, 75, 150, 300, 600 and 1200 EPNs/female, respectively. The following biological parameters were observed: female weight before oviposition, egg mass weight, pre-oviposition period, oviposition period, survival period, hatching percentage, egg production index (%EPI), nutritional index (%NI) and efficacy of treatment. There were no statistically significant differences in the female weight before the oviposition and pre-oviposition period (p > 0.05) between the groups. The nematode action caused significant alterations (p < 0.01) in the egg mass weight, oviposition period, survival period, hatching percentage, %EPI and %NI between the treated groups and the control group. Treatment efficacy was higher than 90% in all groups, reaching 99% at a dosage of 1200 EPNs/female. The present study demonstrates that under laboratory conditions, H. bacteriophora HP88 has a deleterious effect on the majority of the parameters of the non-parasitic phase of engorged R. (B.) microplus females, making this species a potential biological control agent of cattle ticks.