Bacterial-feeding nematode growth and preference for biocontrol isolates of the bacterium Burkholderia cepacia

The potential of different bacterial-feeding Rhabditida to consume isolates of Burkholderia cepacia with known agricultural biocontrol ability was exa mined. Caenorhabditis elegans, Diploscapter sp., Oscheius myriophila, Pelod era strongyloides, Pristionchus pacificus, Zeldia punctata, Panagrellus red ivivus, and Distolabrellus veechi were tested for growth on and preference for Escherichia coli OP50 or B. cepacia maize soil isolates J82, BcF, M36, Bc2, and PHQM100. Considerable growth and preference variations occurred be tween nematode taxa on individual bacterial isolates, and between different bacterial isolates on a given nematode. Populations of Diploscapter sp, an d P. redivivus,uc were most strongly suppressed. Only Z. punctata and P. pa cificus grew well on all isolates, though Z. punctata preferentially accumu lated on all isolates and P. pacificus had no preference. Oscheius myriophi la preferentially accumulated on growth- supportive Bc2 and M36, and avoide d less supportive J82 and PHQM100. Isolates with plant-parasitic nematicida l properties and poor fungicidal properties supported the best growth of th ree members of the Rhabditidae, C. elegans, O. myriophila, and P. strongylo ides. Distolabrellus veechi avoided commercial nematicide M36 more strongly than fungicide J82.