Control of the southern root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita using granule formulations containing nematode-trapping fungus, Monacrosporium ellipsosporum and a nematicide.

The toxicity of a nematicide (fosthiazate) to the nematode-trapping fungus Monacrosporium ellipsosporum, and the control effect of granule formulations containing fungal propagules and the nematicide on the southern root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita were examined. The nematicide had no effect on spore germination or hyphal growth at 3,000 or 300 ppm in CMA medium, but drying of the granules sometimes decreased the survival rate of the fungus. The fungus from the formulations formed trapping organs and actively trapped nematodes by infection hyphae. The trapping rate by fungal knobs was inversely correlated to the concentration of the nematicide. The control test of M. incognita on tomatoes using the fungus-nematicide formulations showed a very high effect when mixed with the total soil in pod experiments. The fungus was detected in all of the soil samples upon completion of the tests.