Plant parasitic nematodes are frequently managed with chemical pesticides which can contaminate agroecosystems. Natural antagonists of nematodes may provide an alternative to the use of pesticides for nematode management. The bacterium Pasteuria penetrans is an obligate parasite of nematodes with great potential as a bionematicide. We investigated properties affecting the adherence of P. penetrans to the cuticles of juvenile (J2) Meloidogyne incognita and Meloidogyne arabicida. The effect of P. penetrans on the development of M. incognita and M. arabicida on tomato roots was also evaluated. Adherence of P. penetrans was evident 24 hours following inoculation, with an average of eight spores per J2 of M. incognita and four spores per J2 of M. arabicida. Spores adhered to 95% and 75% of J2 M. incognita and M. arabicida, respectively. The nematicide ethoprop 5G reduced galling caused by M. incognita and M. arabicida 80% and 83%, respectively, whereas P. penetrans reduced galling by 44%
