Daily Indexes for Predation and Growth of Nematophagous Mushrooms Species of Hohenbuehelia (Pleurotaceae) on Panagrellus redividus

Biological control is a method of controlling pests through the use of other living organisms. The purposes of this study were to test Hohenbuehelia species as biological control agents against Panagrellus redivivus in vitro, evaluating nematodes influence on mycelia growth; establishing daily indexes for predation and growth and setting predation percentage. Five species previously identified as 436-Hohenbuehelia mastrucata (Nematoctonus hamatus), 528-H. bullulifera (not described so far), 581-H. paraguayensis (N. sp.), 582-H. sp. (N. sp.) and 631-H. portegna (N. campylosporus) were submitted to anamorphic purification directly from basidioma. Afterwards, 100 nematodes were added to each pure colony for predation test. Evaluation started right after 24 hours of nematode-fungus interaction. Immobilized and/or penetrated nematodes were counted and mycelia growth was measured. Results were subjected to variance analyses. Hohenbuehelia mastrucata had the best performance in growth speed, followed by H. portegna and H. paraguayensis; Nematodes multiplyied much but none specie grew more as an influence of their movement under mycelium, however all species formed trap devices and some of them produced adhesive or repelent substances. Trap devices were formed in control plates also. The plates of H. paraguayensis without nematodes grew more than treatments. Cumulative predation of H. portegna was the highest at 24 (195.5%) and 48 hours (235%). At the last evaluation day, H. paraguayensis preyed the same amount (185.75%) than H. portegna, followed by H. mastrucata (109.51%). Resulst of predation daily indexes displayed chronological activity for each isolate, where H. portegna was very reactive at first 24 hours, H. mastrucata raised its predacious activity in 48 hours being constant from this time on and H. paraguayensis pointed out itself at 72 hours. Other species presented low predation and growth indexes throughout experiment.