Abstract
The
Sirex noctilio (woodwasp -
Amylostereum areolatum (fungus) complex has caused substantial losses to pine industries in its introduced range. The nematode
Deladenus siricidicola that parasitizes
S. noctilio and feeds on
A. areolatum is widely used as a biological control agent for
S. noctilio, but not with consistent success. This variable success could be due to factors that influence the feeding and reproductive ability of the nematode on
A. Areolatum. We test two main hypotehese that emerge from this prediction. First, we compared the survival of
D. siticidicola on the South African field strain and the Australian laboratory strain of
A. areolatum, to examine a possible incompatibility between nematode and fungal strain.
Keywords
Amylostereum areolatum,
Sirex noctilio,
Deladenus siricidicola,
sapstain fungi,
biological control,
competition
Citation
Hurley, B.P.; Hatting, H.J.; Wingfield, M.J.; Klepzig, K.D.; Slippers, B. 2012. The influence of Amylostereum areolatum diversity and competitive interations on the fitness of the Sirex parasitic nematode Deladenus siricidicola. Biological Control 61:207-214.