Doctor Sitaram Aryal
Sitaram Aryal is a nematologist interested in the field of biological control of agricultural insect pests. He holds a PhD in agricultural entomology from Western Sydney University. His PhD project was on “Characterisation of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) and their symbiotic bacteria across eastern Australia and their potential in controlling Queensland fruit fly” under the supervision of Prof Markus Riegler and Assoc Prof Uffe N Nielsen. During this study, he extracted and identified more than 32 EPN strains and their associated bacteria from different regions of Eastern Australia and successfully tested them against different life stages of Bactrocera tryoni.
Additionally, he completed his MSc in Nematology from Ghent University, Belgium. His MSc research was in framework of the EU-Biocomes funded project, ''Selection and crossing for increased virulence of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora in the control of Diabrotica virgifera virgifera''. The main aim was to exploit molecular markers linked to virulence and persistence that will aid the selection and breeding for the improvement of the nematode strain and to assess the influence of the symbiotic bacteria on the virulence of the EPN.
He is currently working as a postdoctoral research fellow in nematology. He is investigating to find new biocontrol measures to manage and control honeybee (Apis melifera) pests using entomopathogenic nematodes. Prior to this position, he was working on the project “A National Biocontrol Program to Manage Pest Fruit Flies in Australia” as a postdoctoral researcher.
Areas of research
Nematology, entomopathogenic nematodes, entomology, biological Control, integrated pest management
Honours and Awards
- 7th International Congress of Nematology travel grant.
- ARC Industrial Transformation Postgraduate Research Award.
- VLIR-UOS scholarship (Flemish Interuniversity Council-University Development Cooperation)
Publications
Aryal, S., Nielsen, U.N., Sumaya, N.H., Wilson, C., Riegler, M. (2022c) Effect of temperature on survival of Australian entomopathogenic nematodes and their virulence against the Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni. Biocontrol 67, 617-628
Aryal, S., Nielsen, U.N., Sumaya, N.H., Wilson, C., Riegler, M. (2022b) Virulence, penetration rate and reproductive potential of entomopathogenic nematodes from eastern Australia in Queensland fruit fly, Bactrocera tryoni. Biological Control 169, 104871
Aryal, S., Nielsen, U.N., Sumaya, N.H., De Faveri, S., Wilson, C., Riegler, M. (2022a) Isolation and molecular characterization of five entomopathogenic nematode species and their bacterial symbionts from eastern Australia. Biocontrol 67, 63-74
Ramos, R.J., Ann Dichusa, C., Aryal, S. et al. 2022. Isolation, identification and virulence of the local entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis indica in the southern Philippines against the sugarcane white grub, Leucopholis irrorata (Chevrolat) (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae). Int J Trop Insect Sci 42, 2739–2750
Leonar, A.L., Nimkingrat, P., Aryal, S. et al. 2022. Natural association of the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis indica (Rhabditida: Heterorhabditidae) from the Philippines with the non-symbiotic bacterium Ochrobactrum anthropi (Proteobacteria: Brucellaceae). Egypt J Biol Pest Control 32, 83. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41938-022-00576-w
Dichusa, C. A., Ramos, R., Aryal, S., Sumaya, N. P. D., & Sumaya, N. H., 2021. Survey and identification of entomopathogenic nematodes in the province of Cotabato, Philippines, for biocontrol potential against the tobacco cutworm, Spodoptera litura (Fabricius) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Egypt J Biol Pest Control, 31(1), 1-10
Navarez, M. L., Sangcopan, R., Aryal, S., Sumaya, N. P. D., Bhat, A. H., & Sumaya, N. H., 2021. Native Philippine Heterorhabditis indica isolates from banana and rice fields and preliminary results of their virulence against the larvae of super worm (Zophobas morio Fabricius Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae). Egypt J Biol Pest Control, 31(1), 1-10
Sumaya, N. H., Aryal, S., Vandenbossche, B., Barg, M., Doerfler, V., Strauch, O., Molina, CM & Ehlers, R. U., 2017. Phenotyping Dauer juvenile oxidative stress tolerance, longevity and persistence within wild type and inbred lines of the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora. Nematology, 19(8), 971-986
