Evaluation of three nematophagous fungi in controlling root knot nematode using animal manure and wheat grain as carrier substrates

Five types of animal manure: layer, broiler, cow, sheep and fermented mix were compared with wheat grain and evaluated as media for mass production of three nematode egg-parasitic fungi: Paecilomyces lilacinus; Fusarium solani; Fusarium oxysporum for control of root-knot nematode Meloidagyne javanica. Mycelial growth indices of P. lilacinus, F. solani and oxysporum on layer or broiler manure were similar or higher than on wheat grains, moderate on cow manure, poor on sheep and fermented manure. Spore production of the three fungi on layer and broiler manure was 22-590% higher than on wheat grain. Layer and broiler manure conpared with wheat grain were used as carrier substrates of P. lilacinus, F. solani, F. oxysporum for studying their efficacy on controlling M. javanica under greenhouse conditions. P. lilacinus, F. solani, F. oxysporum formulated on layer manure and delivered into soil at rate of 0.67w/w significantly reduced galling on tomato roots by 58%, 59%, 53%; formulated on broiler manure-by 35%, 50%, 32.5%, respectively, while formulation on wheat grain reduced galling by 25-36%. When colonized on layer manure, percentage of parasitized egg masses varied by 54-74%, while on broiler manure it varied by 28-62%. Lowest percentage of infected egg masses was in pots treated by fungi colonized on wheat grain-12-34%. Results on the field showed that the introduced bioagent P. lilacinus from Peru was able to control M. javanica, survive and establish in the Jordan Valley soil. F7 solani and F7 oxysporum isolated in Jordan significantly reduced M. javanica population in the valley. Also, layer manure was able to affect root-knot nematode populations, fungal survival and establishment. P. lilacinus, F. solani, F. oxysporum colonized on layer manure reduced galling by 56%, 50%, 54% as that colonized wheat grain reducing galling by 35%, 20%, 38%, respectively. Survival of the three parasitic fungi on the three substrates remained viable through six months of storage as F. oxysporum decreased viability on layer manure after l20 days of storage. Pathogenicity test of F. solani, F. oxysporum showed that these fungi were not pathogenic to tomato, eggplant and bean