EFFECTS OF Pochonia chlamydosporia var. catenulate APPLICATION MOMENTS OVER ITS EFFICACY IN CONTROLLING Meloidogyne incognita

To improve the biological control agent practical use, the effect of the application moment of the strain IMI SD 187 of Pochonia chlamydosporia var. catenulata on its abundance in soil and rhizosphere, as well as its capability of egg mass colonization and egg parasitism of M. incognita on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) crop was studied. The results provided that the substrate and root colonization and the parasitic capability of P. chlamydosporia var. catenulata were higher with the fungus application in the substrate at transplanting. Nevertheless, the application on the tray substrate at sowing allowed the levels of root colonization reached by P. chlamydosporia var. catenulata to provide a 60% of egg parasitism which is a percentage to be taken into account at low infestation levels by M. incognita or at preventive applications.