Abstract
In a survey of 46 Queensland soils for fungi capable of parasitising eggs of root-knot nematodes, the only species recovered were Verticillium chlamydosporium and Paecilomyces lilacinus. When the soils were potted, planted to tomatoes and inoculated with root-knot nematodes, eggs parasitised by these fungi were observed more commonly in soils that had been naturally infested with the nematode than in soils where the nematode was absent. P. lilacinus was commonly isolated from chitin-amended soil but the addition of chitin did not increase egg parasitism. To identify isolates with the best biocontrol potential, 26 isolates of P. lilacinus and 13 isolates of V. chlamydosporium were screened for parasitic activity against eggs of Meloidogyne javanica using three different tests. Within each test, the number of eggs parasitised by different isolates of the same fungus varied considerably, suggesting that isolates differed in virulence. Two isolates of V. chlamydosporium and one isolate of P. lilacinus were highly parasitic in all three tests.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agrawal, P.K., Lal, B., Wahab, S., Srivastava, O.P. and Misra, S.C. (1979)—Orbital Paecilomycosis due to Paecilomyces lilacinus (Thom) Samson. Sabouraudia 17: 363–370.
Cabanillas, E., Barker, K.R. and Nelson, L.A. (1989)—Growth of isolates of Paecilomyces lilacinus and their efficacy in biocontrol of Meloidogyne incognita on tomato. Journal of Nematology 21: 161–172.
De Leij, F, and Kerry, B.R. (1989)—The potential of Verticillium chlamydosporium as a biocontrol agent against root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.). Journal of Nematology: 21 571.
Domsch, K.H., Gams, W. and Anderson, T.-H. (1980)—Compendium of Soil Fungi Volume 1. Academic Press, New York.
Godoy, G., Rodriguez-Kabana, R. and Morgan-Jones, G. (1982)—Parasitism of eggs of Heterodera glycines and Meloidogyne arenaria by fungi isolated from cysts of H. glycines. Nematropica 12: 111–119.
Godoy, G., Rodriguez-Kabana, R, and MorganJones, G. (1983a)—Fungal parasites of Meloidogyne arenaria eggs in an Alabama soil. A mycological survey and greenhouse studies. Nematropica 13: 201–213.
Godoy, G., Rodriguez-Kabana, R. and Morgan-Jones, G. (1983b)—Chitin amendments for control of Meloidogyne arenaria in infested soil. II. Effects on microbial population. Nematropica 13: 63–74.
Gordon, M.A. (1984)—Paecilomyces lilacinus (Thom) Samson, from systemic infection in an armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus). Sabouraudia 22: 109–116.
Gordon, M.A. and Norton, S.W. (1985)—Corneal transplant infection by Paecilomyces lilacinus. Sabouraudia 23: 295–301.
Hewlett, T.E., Dickson, D.W., Mitchell, D.J. and Kannwischer-Mitchell, M.E. (1988)—Evaluation of Paecilomyces lilacinus as a biocontrol agent of Meloidogyne javanica on tobacco. Journal of Nematology 20: 578–584.
Irving, F. and Kerry, B.R. (1986)—Variation between strains of the nematophagous fungus Verticillium chlamydosporium Goddard. II. Factors affecting parasitism of cyst nematode eggs. Nematologica 32: 474–485.
Jatala, P. (1986)—Biological control of plant-parasitic nematodes. Annual Review of Phytopathology 24: 453–489.
Kerry, B.R. (1981)—Fungal parasites: a weapon against cyst nematodes. Plant Disease 65: 390–393.
Kerry, B.R. (1990)—An assessment of progress toward microbial control of plant parasitic nematodes. Journal of Nematology 22: 621–631.
Kerry, B.R., Irving, F. and Hornsey, J.C. (1986)—Variation between strains of the nematophagous fungus, Verticillium chlamydosporium Goddard. I. Factors affecting growth in vitro. Nematologica 32: 461–473.
Morgan-Jones, G., Godoy, G. and Rodriguez-Kabana, R. (1981)—Verticillium chlamydosporium, fungal parasite of Meloidogyne arenaria females. Nematropica 11: 115–120.
Morgan-Jones, G. and Rodriguez-Kabana, R. (1988)—Fungi colonising cysts and eggs. In Disease of Nematodes Vol. II (Eds G.O. Poinar and H.-B. Jansson.), pp.39–58. CRC Press, Boca Raton.
Morgan-Jones, G., White, J.F. and Rodriguez-Kabana, R. (1984)—Phytonematode pathology: ultrastructural studies. 1. Parasitism of Meloidogyne arenaria eggs by Verticillium chlamydosporium. Nematropica 13: 245–260.
Rodriguez-Kabana, R. and MorganJones, G. (1988)—Potential for nematode control by mycofloras endemic in the tropics. Journal of Nematology 20: 151–203.
Rodriguez-Kabana, R., Morgan-Jones, G., Godoy, G. and Gintis, B.O. (1984a)—Effectiveness of species of Gliocladium, Paecilomyces, and Verticillium for control of Meloidogyne arenaria in field soil. Nematropica 14: 155–170.
Rodriguez-Kabana, R., MorganJones, G. and Gintis, B.O. (1984b)—Effects of chitin amendments to soil on Heterodera glycines, microbial populations and colonisation of cysts by fungi. Nematropica 14: 10–25.
Stirling, G.R. and Mankau, R. (1978)—Parasitism of Meloidogyne eggs by a new fungal parasite. Journal of Nematology 10: 236–240.
Stirling, G.R., McKenry, M.V. and Mankau, R. (1979)—Biological control of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) on peach. Phytopathology 69: 806–809.
Whitehead, A.G. and Hemming, J.R. (1965)—A comparison of some quantitative methods of extracting small vermiform nematodes from soil. Annals of applied Biology 55: 25–38.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Stirling, G.R., West, L.M. Fungal parasites of root-knot nematode eggs from tropical and subtropical regions of Australia. Australasian Plant Pathology 20, 149–154 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1071/APP9910149
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1071/APP9910149