Biochemical effects of the nematode-bacteria complex on the red palm weevil,Rhynchophorus ferrugineus(Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

Biochemical analysis of the haemolymph and body fat of the larvae of the red palm weevil, Rhynchophorus ferrugineus, revealed specific variations in their metabolism during infection with the nematode-bacterial complex (Steinernema carpocapsae–Xenorhabdus nematophilus) and (Heterorhabditis bacteriophora–Photorhabdus luminescens). The total amino acid composition showed an obvious decrease by 62.58 and 65.67% in the haemolymph of larvae infected by each of these nematode-bacterial complexes, respectively, as compared with the untreated larvae. Some amino acids increased and others showed a decrease after infection, this could reflect the factors responsible for infection and mortality by bacterial symbionts. The total protein in the haemolymph showed a 5.3 fold decrease after treatment with S. carpocapsae–X. nematophilus and 2.5 fold decrease after treatment with H. bacteriophora–P. luminescens as compared with the control. Also, a double fold decrease in the amount of protein in body fat was recorded for ...