author(s)
Mujahid Manzoor, Jam Nazeer Ahmad, Muhammad Zahid Sharif, Dilawar Majeed, Hina Kiran, Muhammad Jafir and Habib Ali

abstract
In this investigation the effectiveness of EPNs (entomopathogenic nematode species) including Steinernema carpocapsae, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Steinernema feltiae on the Rhynchophorus ferrugineus larvae and adults were scrutinized. While during bioassays, plastic boxes of 9x5x5 cm size were used. Whatman filter paper was retained at the base of each culture box and 3^rd, 6^th and 10^th instar larvae ofred palm weevil (RPW) (R. ferrugineus) were placed. EPNs were inoculated to weevil larvae of mentioned in stars and also to the adults at the concentration level of the 100 IJs/larva+adult and then incubated at temperature of 25°C. Later the EPNs inoculation, larval instars and adults were tested after 12 hours of time length and their mortality were noted. This investigation was terminated at the end of 8^th day and consequences were assessed. All of the mentioned EPNs applied in this experiment resulted variant mortality on each larval instar and adult stage of red palm weevil. The maximum and minimum %age mortality of R. ferrugineus at 3^rd and 10^th larval instars were 96.5% and 88.17% by inoculation of S. carpocapsae, 85.75% and 74.4% by application of H. bacteriophora while 38.68% and 35.35% by employing S. feltiae respectively. On the other hand, minimum mortality of adult red palm weevil by application of mentioned EPNs was noticed. Furthermore, we observed increasing trend of %age mortality of R. ferrugineus populace after time length of 12 to 192 hours (8 days) by utilization of EPN species. At the end, we resulted that the credible application of EPNs against palm weevil should be debated and employed for monitoring this notorious pest.