Growth and Sporulation of Nematophagus Fungus Nematoctonus Robustus on Different Media at Different Temperatures.

ABSTRACT

Nematode trapping fungi captured nematode by forming different types of structure in a way to get supplement of nitrogen from the nematode, just like carnivorous plants. Fungal parasites of nematodes are broadly classified as either predaceous or endoparasitic. The genus Nematoctonus is unique in that some species are endoparasitic and some species are predaceous by established criteria. The generic diagnosis for Nematoctonus was given by Dreschsler that one assimilative hyphae which is hyaline, more or less branched, developing within minute living animals. Growth and sporulation of N.robustus was significantly varied with different temperature on corn meal agar medium. It is evident from results showing the effect of temperature on the biology of N.robustus that 200C was most optimum temperature for both growth and sporulation. With increase in the temperature there is increase in radial growth of this fungus but correspondingly there s decrease in sporulation.