In vivo and In vitro Culture of the Red Ring Nematode, Rhadinaphelenchus cocophilus

Abstract

Inoculations of 100 persistent juveniles (JIII) of the red ring nematode, Rhadinaphelenchus cocophilus, into coconut leaf stalks produced red ring infestations in 50-60% of the stalks after 3-4 weeks. Monoxenic cultures of the fungi, Monilinia fructicola and Botrytis cinerea and undifferentiated sugarcane leaf spindle callus were inoculated with ca. 100 surface-sterilized juveniles (JIII) of R. cocophilus. At 1 week, no nematode survival was observed on either fungus. Molting was observed in one culture of sugarcane callus after 4 weeks. Several oligidic media were tested for R. cocophilus survival and development. Red ring nematodes survived longer than 70 days in autoclaved red ring stem tissue infusion water (RRW) that was unsupplemented or was supplemented with 5.00 g D-glucose/500 ml RRW, 3.85 g lactose/500 ml RRW, or 10.00 g Bacto-lactose broth + 5.00 g D-glucose/500 ml RRW (R + LB + G). A single adult female, four J4's, and nine JIII-J4 intermolts were recovered after 70 days