Abstract

The investigations on attraction of nematodes to nematophagous fungi have mostly dealt with the nematode-trapping species and just were limited to the assays on plate. In present study, attraction of pinewood nematodes to the living mycelia ofendoparasitic fungus, Esteya vermicola, was investigated. It was confirmed that the living mycelia of E. vermicola were attractive not only to pinewood nematodes on plate, but also to that in the discs of infected pine seedling, dead blocks of infected pine tree, 15 and 30 days infected pine seedlings. Moreover, the volatiles released byE. vermicola also were attractive to pinewood nematodes in 15 and 30 days infected pine seedlings. This study may provide information for the application of E. vermicolaas biological control agent of pinewood nematode.

Key words: Esteya vermicola, pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus,Pinus densiflora, living mycelia, attraction, volatiles.