A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECOLOGY OF FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH FEMALES AND CYSTS OF HETERODERA AVENAE IN EASTERN SCOTLAND

摘要

Infected field soil was used to investigate the colonisation of cereal roots by fungi associated with Heterodera avenae in eastern Scotland. Results indicated that Verticillium invaded cereal roots before females of H. avenae and that the fungus colonised wheat roots more rapidly than oats while barley roots were invaded least rapidly. A greater number of H. avenae juveniles were found associated with roots infected by Veticillium compared with uninfected controls. After surface sterilization with sodium hypochlorite, white females of H. avenae developed only Verticillium colonies, suggesting that the fungus colonizes the female at an early stage of development. There was also evidence that Verticillium may produce metabolites that stimulate premature hatching of the juveniles contained in the eggs.