Trapping Effectiveness of Five Species of Nematophagous Fungi Cultured with Mycophagous Nematodes

Abstract

Four-day cultures of nematophagous fungi that contained mycophagous nematodes exhibited little correlation between increased fungal growth and increased nematode-trapping effectiveness. Increased fungal growth did not appear to be affected by the assimilation of nematode protoplasm. Temperature and nematode presence appeared to be the two factors that affected fungal growth. Cultures that did not contain nematodes responded in a similar fashion to temperature. The presence of nematodes resulted in 5 C increase in optimum growth temperatures over control cultures, increased absolute areas of fast-growing species (Arthrobotrys oligospora, A. musiformis, and Monacrosporium bembicodes), and increased relative areas of slow-growing species (Arthrobotrys dactyloides and Monacrosporium cionopagum).