Abstract

A glass house experiment was conducted for the effectiveness of nematophagous fungi against Meloidogyne
graminicola in which Arthrobotrys oligospora and Dactylaria eudermata were used for the management of root
knot disease of rice. Root knot nematodes, Meloidogyne graminicola had proved itself as an important limiting
factor for successful cultivation and productivity of rice. By amending the soil with application of mass culture
of two nematophagous fungi (Arthrobotrys oligospora and Dactylaria eudermata) reduced the number of root
galls by 86.9% and 81.1%, of females by 94.2% and 91.7%. The mass culture of these fungi increased the plant
growth: shoot length by 41.9% and 38.8%, root length by 44.6% and 41.8%, fresh weight of shoot by 61.1% and
58.7%, and fresh weight of root by 24.3% and 22.5%, respectively over nematode infested soil. The better
performance of A. oligospora may be attributed to better colonization and establishment of A. oligospora than D.
eudermata and may be better tolerance of the fungus to soil fungistasis.

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