Interactions Between Nematophagous Fungi and Plant-Parasitic Nematodes: Attraction, Induction of Trap Formation and Capture

Abstract

The behaviour of five plant-parasitic nematodes was compared with that of a bacteria-feeding nematode. The attraction of the plant-parasitic nematodes to thirteen nematophagous fungi was tested. The two plant-parasitic nematodes also known to be mycophagous were attracted to all fungi. In the other nematodes there was no distinct attraction pattern. The ability of different fungi to attract tended to increase with increasing dependence of the fungi on nematodes for nutrients. The rapidity with which the nematodes induced trap formation depended on their motility and on the concentration of nutrients in the culture medium. The ability of a nematode to induce trap formation was not correlated with feeding behaviour (bacteria-feeding, mycophagous or plant-parasitic). All nematodes were rapidly captured when traps were present.