Effect of microscopic fungi on larval mortality of the root-knots Meloidogyne incognita and Meloidogyne javanica

Fungal antagonists of plant parasitic nematodes producing toxic metabolites that kill nematodes were found in an in vitro test. The mortality of second stage juveniles of root knot nematodes was assessed by hatching tests. Nine strains of soil microscopic fungi of genera Arthrobotrys, Trichoderma, Purpurocillium and Clonostachys were tested for their nematicidal activity against second stage juveniles of Meloidogyne incognita and Meloidogyne javanica. Mortality of larvae varied from 92.7 to 100% for all strains after 48 hours exposure time. Arthrobotrys, Clonostachys, Purpurocillium lilacinum and Trichoderma strains showed different nematicidal effects according to the nematode species. Only Trichoderma sp. KAV1 and C. rosea KAV2 showed 100% mortality for both nematode species.