ABSTRACT
The present study investigated the in-vitro action of the nematophagous fungi Duddingtonia flagrans (AC001), Monacrosporium thaumasium (NF34) and Pochonia chlamydosporia (VC1 and VC4) on eggs of Eurytrema coelomaticum. Eggs were placed on fungal cultures surface over water-agar 2% (WA 2%) in Petri plates, and on WA 2% with no fungus (control). After 7, 10 and 14 days, the eggs were removed and classified according to the following parameters: type 1, lytic effect without morphological damage to eggshell; type 2, lytic effect with morphological alteration of embryo and eggshell; and type 3, lytic effect with morphological alteration of embryo and eggshell, besides hyphal penetration and internal egg colonization. The isolate AC001 and NF34 did not cause the type 2 and 3 effects; however, the isolate VC1 caused the type 3 effect determining the ovicidal activity on 27.2% of eggs at day 7, 23.1% at day 10, and 25.0% at day 14 after treatment. Also, the isolate VC4 caused ovicidal activity: 15.0%, 25.4% and 21.8% at day 7, 10 and 14, respectively. Pochonia chlamydosporia is a promising fungus for biological control of E. coelomaticum.
KEY WORDS
Nematophagous fungi;
Duddingtonia flagrans
;
Monacrosporium thaumasium
;
Pochonia chlamydosporia
;
Eurytrema coelomaticum
; Trematoda; biological control