Fungi parasitic on juveniles and egg masses of Meloidogyne hapla in organic soils from New York

Fungi associated with egg masses and juveniles of Meloidogyne hapla were isolated from organic soil samples obtained from five fields planted to lettuce or onion in New York. The soil samples were placed in sterilized clay pots, infested with M. hapla, and planted to lettuce. After 4 months, egg masses and juveniles were surface-disinfested, plated on water agar, and examined for fungal infection. Depending on the soil sample, fungal isolates were recovered from 13% to 30%, and from 5% to 24% of the egg masses and juveniles, respectively. A total of 24 and 16 isolates collected from egg masses and juveniles, respectively, were selected for further characterization. Fifteen of the isolates were considered as egg-mass pathogens as they were able to infect healthy assay egg masses and could be succesfully reisolated. These fungi included species of Fusarium, Alternaria, and Verticillium psalliotae. Six of the egg-mass-parasitizing fungi could not be identified. Nine fungal isolates were found to be pathogenic to juveniles of M. hapla; six were identified as Monacrosporium sp., two as Arthrobotrys sp., and one as Hirsutella rhossiliensis. The remaining 16 fungal isolates were unable to infect egg masses or juveniles, and thus were considered nonparasitic to M. hapla.