Absence of Obvious Short Term Impact of the Nematode-Trapping Fungus Duddingtonia Flagrans on Survival and Growth of the Earthworm Aporrectodea Longa

Abstract

The nematode-trapping fungus Duddingtonia flagrans may be used in biological control of parasitic nematode larvae in faeces of domestic host animals after feeding the hosts with fungal chlamydospores. In this experiment a possible undesirable fungal impact on earthworms, of the species Aporrectodea longa, was investigated. As earthworms eat animal faeces, D. flagrans may come into contact with earthworms both in their alimentary tract and on their body surface. However during the experimental period of 20 days, when earthworms were living in soil and eating cattle faeces that were heavily infested with viable chlamydospores of D. flagrans there were no indications of internal or external mycosis among the earthworms.

Sammendrag

Den nematod-fangende svamp Duddingtonia flagrans har vist sig at være anvendelig til biologisk bekæmpelse af parasitiske nematod-larver i husdyrgødning efter fodring af værtsdyrene med svampens chlamydosporer. Denne undersøgelse omhandler en mulig uønsket svampe-effekt på regnormen Aporrectodea longa. Da regnorme spiser dyriske ekskrementer, er det muligt at D. flagrans kan komme i kontakt med regnorme både i deres tarmkanal og på deres kropsoverflade. I den her anvendte forsøgsperiode på 20 dage, hvor regnorme levede i jord og spiste kogødning, der var kraftigt inficeret med levende chlamydosporer af D. flagrans, men også efterfølgende, var der ingen indikationer på intern eller ekstern mykose blandt regnormene.