Mycophage Nematoden Der Gattung Aphelenchoides an Der Halmbasis Von Getreidepflanzen Und Ihre Wirkung Gegen Fusskrankheitserreger Von Getreide

Investigations in monocultures of cereals at five different locations in Hessen showed the lower stem segments of winter barley and winter wheat to be regularly colonized by Aphelenchoides spp. with average numbers of 10-20 nematodes per stem base. Other mycophagous species were rarely detected. On average, more nematodes were found on leaf sheaths than on stems, despite a relative increase on the stems during maturation of the cereals. Tests in the laboratory showed that A. hamatus induced a quick collapse of colonies of different foot rot organisms on agar plates. Wheat damage by Fusarium culmorum and Gerlachia nivalis was significantly reduced by the nematodes in greenhouse pot trials under controlled conditions. The potential importance of the effect of Aphelenchoides spp. on foot rot organisms of cereals is discussed.