DEGRADATION OF SCLEROTIA OF SCLEROTINIA-SCLEROTIORUM BY FUNGUS GNATS (BRADYSIA-COPROPHILA) AND THE BIOCONTROL FUNGI TRICHODERMA SPP

Our purpose was to evaluate the ability of fungus gnats (Bradysia copr ophila) and mycoparasitic fungi, alone or in combination, to degrade s clerotia of the plant pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. A collection of potential mycoparasites was evaluated for the ability to degrade sc lerotia of S. sclerotiorum in soil. The most effective isolate, Tricho derma hamatum TMCS-3, was combined with fungus gnats in laboratory pot tests. Fewer sclerotia survived in the combination treatments, compar ed to treatments with either organism alone, and the viability of scle rotia was reduced. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.