Ba. Jaffee et al., PARASITISM OF NEMATODES BY THE FUNGUS HIRSUTELLA-RHOSSILIENSIS AS AFFECTED BY CERTAIN ORGANIC AMENDMENTS, Journal of nematology, 26(2), 1994, pp. 152-161
Experiments were conducted to determine whether the addition of organi
c matter to soil increased numbers of bacterivorous nematodes and para
sitic activity of the nematophagous fungus Hirsutella rhossiliensis. I
n a peach orchard on loamy sand, parasitism of the plant-parasitic nem
atode Criconemella xenoplax by H. rhossiliensis was slightly suppresse
d and numbers of C. xenoplax were not affected by addition of 73 metri
c tons of composted chicken manure/ha. In the laboratory, numbers of b
acterivorous nematodes (especially Acrobeloides spp.) and fungivorous
nematodes increased but parasitism of nematodes by H. rhossiliensis us
ually decreased with addition of wheat straw or composted cow manure t
o a loamy sand naturally infested with H. rhossiliensis. These results
do not support the hypothesis that organic amendments will enhance pa
rasitism of nematodes by H. rhossiliensis.