The effect of natural and artificial hatching agents on the emergence of juveniles of Heterodera fici

The emergence of juveniles from cysts of Heterodera fici was investigated in natural and artificial hatching agents at 24 +/- 2 °C in a growyh cabinet for a 7 week period. The cysts were collected from commercial fig roots and batches of 100 each were incubated in leachates from ornamental or commercial fig roots, picrolonic acid, sodium metavanadate, zinc chloride, zinc sulphate or distilled water. More juveniles emerged from cysts in commercial (97%) than in ornamental fig root leachate (45%). Emergence in sodium metavanadate was 64%, in zinc chloride 40% and zinc sulphate 27%. Emergence in picrolonic acid was very low (5%) and less than that in distilled water (10%).