Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are among the frequently used and commercialized bio-pesticides. However, they are restricted in their infectivity, persistence, storage, and cost of production. One of the methods used to improve this is a continuous search for new isolates with significant behavioral and physiological characteristics. A novel EPN isolate, Heterorhabditis zealandica strain ETL, isolated from South Africa (GPS co-ordinates − 24.849721 and 28.336980) is described and studied against late-instar of Galleria mellonella (L.) and Tenebrio mollitor (L.) larvae. The morphological and molecular studies indicated this isolate as a Heterorhabditis strain. The comparison of sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, the 18S rRNA gene, and the D2-D3 region of the 28S rRNA gene with available sequences of other described species within the genus indicate the isolate as a new Heterorhabditis zealandica strain. The phylogenetic analysis of the sequence data places strain ETL, closest to H. zealandica strain Bartow (GU174009) in the Heterorhabditis group. This EPN was lethal to G. mellonella and T. mollitor; as infections occurred within 24–96 h. Fifty percent of the larvae population were killed within 24 h and 100% after 96 h.

中文翻译：

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分离自南非最北端地区的致病性线虫病线虫的分子鉴定

昆虫致病线虫（EPN）是经常使用和商业化的生物农药。但是，它们的传染性，持久性，储存和生产成本受到限制。改善此状况的方法之一是不断寻找具有明显行为和生理特征的新分离株。从南非（GPS坐标-24.849721和28.336980）分离出了一种新型的EPN分离株，即新西兰杂种人ETL，并针对夜蛾幼虫和黄粉虫幼虫进行了研究。形态和分子研究表明该分离物为异种哈氏杆菌菌株。内部转录间隔区（ITS）18S rRNA基因序列的比较，28S rRNA基因的D2-D3区域以及该属内其他已描述物种的可用序列表明，该分离物是一株新的新西兰杂种人。序列数据的系统发育分析表明，杂种猪组中的ETL菌株最接近于新西兰嗜血杆菌菌株Bartow（GU174009）。该EPN对G. mellonella和T. mollitor具有致命性。因为感染发生在24-96小时内。在24小时内杀死了50％的幼虫，在96小时后杀死了100％。