VULPIA MYUROS AND THE ANNUAL RYEGRASS TOXICITY ORGANISMS, ANGUINA-FUNESTA AND CLAVIBACTER-TOXICUS

Vulpia myuras was found to be a host for both Anguina funesta and Clav ibacter toxicus (the organisms responsible for annual ryegrass toxicit y) in an infested Lolium rigidum pasture in Western Australia. The rep roduction of A. funesta in V. myuros was inefficient both in the field and in container-grown plants. The number of galls produced was low, many of the eggs laid did not hatch and many second-stage juveniles di d not reach the survival stage. The multiplication rates in container- grown plants were insufficient to maintain the nematode population in V. myuros alone. V. myuros populations are unlikely to be important in the management of pasture infested with A. funesta.