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Chrysodeixis includens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is a significant soybean pest in the southern United States. As it has developed resistance to many commonly used insecticides, alternative control measures are necessary. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) may be one such alternative. Our previous study found that a surfactant Southern Ag Surfactant (SAg Surfactant), significantly increased the mortality caused by Steinernema carpocapsae on the first instars of Helicoverpa zea in corn plants. In this study, SAg Surfactant and two more adjuvants — dish soap and vegetable oil — were tested for efficacy of S. carpocapsae on C. includens larvae under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. The three adjuvant treatments tested were 0.125% dish soap (Soap), dish soap combined with 0.25% vegetable oil (Soap & Oil), and 0.066% SAg Surfactant. In laboratory conditions, insect mortality caused by S. carpocapsae 72 hr after application was significantly higher with the Soap & Oil treatment than with the no-adjuvant treatment at 1 and 4 hr of exposure, as well as with the Soap treatment at 4 hr of exposure. No significant difference was observed among the EPN with and without adjuvant treatments when the exposure times were extended to 8 and 24 hr. However, compared to the no-adjuvant treatment, insect mortality 24 hr after application was significantly higher for all EPN adjuvant treatments at 8 hr of exposure and for the Soap & Oil treatment at 4 and 24 hr of exposure. These results suggest that these adjuvants shortened the time needed for EPNs to kill C. includens larvae. In the first trial, under greenhouse conditions, insect mortality 72 hr after application was not affected by the adjuvant treatments. In the second trial, all the adjuvant treatments increased insect mortality. However, in the third trial, only the Soap & Oil treatment caused higher mortality compared to the no-adjuvant treatment. Additionally, the Soap & Oil treatment yielded the highest number of viable EPNs in most of the three trials, although this result was statistically significant only at one sampling point. Overall, our results showed that the adjuvants could enhance the efficacy of S. carpocapsae on C. includens larvae.
