New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts

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Occurrence, morphological characteristics and ribotyping of New Zealand isolates of Duddingtonia flagrans, a candidate for biocontrol of animal parasitic nematodes

R. A. Skipp
L. Y. Chen

AgResearch
Grasslands Research Centre
Private Bag 11 008
Palmerston North, New Zealand

G. W. Yeates

Landcare Research
Private Bag 11052
Palmerston North, New Zealand

T. R. Glare

AgResearch
P.O. Box 60
Lincoln New Zealand

Abstract  The nematophagous fungus Duddingtonia flagrans has shown potential for biological control of nematode parasites of livestock in several countries. A survey for the presence of D. flagrans in New Zealand was undertaken in 1997-98 on 24 farm, research, and domestic properties in the southern North Island. The nematophagous fungi found on isolation plates included species of Arthrobotrys, Dactylellina,Nematoctonus, Harposporium, and Duddingtonia. Isolates that produced the three-dimensional nets and abundant chlamydospores, characteristic of D. flagrans, were detected in 6 of 205 samples examined. The fungus was obtained from a variety of substrates such as cattle dung, horse dung, seepage from a silage pit, and decomposing lawn clippings. Morphological characteristics, and the sequences of ITS/5.8 region of ribosomal DNA, were very similar to those published for D. flagrans. The fungus was re-isolated from the faeces of lambs 16-40 h after they had been dosed orally with chlamydospores, indicating survival of gut passage.

Keywords  gastro-intestinal nematodes; sheep; parasites; nematophagous fungi; Duddingtonia flagrans; biological control

A01033 Received 18 October 2001; accepted 17 April 2002; published 30 September 2002
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 2002, Vol. 45: 187-196
0028-8233/02/4503-0187 $7.00/0 © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2002

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