Effect of temperature on the times to hatching of eggs of the plant parasitic nematode Longidorus elongatus

Abstract

There is little information on the effect of temperature on the rate of development and hatching of migratory plant parasitic nematode eggs and yet it is essential that this relationship is understood and the minimum threshold temperature for development determined if the population dynamics and epidemiology of the nematode in the field is to be understood and modelled. Flegg (1968; 1969) investigating the embryology of Xiphinema diversicaudatum (Micoletzky) Thorne found 25°C to be the optimum temperature for egg development while no development occurred at 5°C, and 30°C proved lethal. Wyss (1970; 1975) and Yassin (1969) found that Longidorus elongatlls (de Man) Thomas et Swanger completed its life cycle in nine weeks at 30°C while no egg development was observed at 10 DC. Investigations into the effects of temperature on the development and hatching of L. elongatus eggs and calculations on the minimum threshold temperature for development are reported in this paper.