Abstract
Fecundity of the fungivorous nematode, Aphelenchus avenae, cultured on Botrytis cinerea and Fusarium oxysporum at 25°C was compared.
A. avenae laid an average of 230 eggs on B. cinerea and 89 on F. oxysporum with oviposition periods of 25.8 and 22.3 days, respectively. Peak oviposition generally occurred within 4-6 days with B. cinerea and 10-12 days with F. oxysporum after maturation. The average life span of females was 32.3 days with B. cinerea and 29.6 days with F. oxysporum. Larval mortality was 15 and 20 percent with B. cinerea and F. oxysporum, respectively. Survivorship of females on both fungi declined in a similar manner. Intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm) of A. avenae was estimated to be 0.79 and 0.50 with B. cinerea and F. oxysporum, respectively. Jpn. J. Nematol. 21: 1-5 (1991).
