The University of Maine DigitalCommons@UMaine Honors College 5-2013 Alteration of Microflora of the Facultative Parasitic Nematode Pristionchus Entomophagus and its Potential Application as a Biological Control Agent Amy M. Michaud University of Maine - Main Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors Part of the Biology Commons, Entomology Commons, and the Parasitology Commons Recommended Citation Michaud, Amy M., "Alteration of Microflora of the Facultative Parasitic Nematode Pristionchus Entomophagus and its Potential Application as a Biological Control Agent" (2013). Honors College. 134. https://digitalcommons.library.umaine.edu/honors/134 This Honors Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by DigitalCommons@UMaine. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors College by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@UMaine. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. ALTERATION OF MICROFLORA OF THE FACULTATIVE PARASITIC NEMATODE PRISTIONCHUS ENTOMOPHAGUS AND ITS POTENTIAL APPLICATION AS A BIOLOGICAL CONTROL AGENT by Amy M. Michaud A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for a Degree with Honors (Biology) The Honors College University of Maine May 2013 Advisory Committee: Dr. Eleanor Groden, Professor of Entomology, Advisor Dr. Dave Lambert, Associate Professor of Plant Pathology Elissa Ballman, Research Associate in Invasive Species and Entomology Dr. Francois Amar, Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry Dr. John Singer, Professor of Microbiology Abstract: Pristionchus entomophagus is a microbivorous, facultative, parasitic nematode commonly found in soil and decaying organic matter in North America and Europe. This nematode can form an alternative juvenile life stage capable of infecting an insect host. The microflora of P.