“BENEFICIAL
NEMATODES ARE A
GARDENER’S BEST
friend.”
Bring in Some Carnivorous Fungi
Nematophagous fungi are carnivorous and feed
on nematodes. These fungi actually set traps to
snare nasty nemotodes — either sticky traps or
circular rings that capture and kill their prey.
What’s remarkable is these fungi will only set the
traps when they detect the nematode’s ascarosides,
which are the chemical cues nematodes use to
communicate with one another.
Nematophagous fungi are found in abundance
where there is rotting organic matter, such as the
compost pile, leaf mold, and decomposing bark.
Adding compost, leaf mulch, or layering your
garden with wood chips will encourage the fungi
that protect your garden from parasitic nematodes.
Healthy plants resist well and perform
better than plants suffering nutrient
deficiencies, even in the presence
of harmful nematodes, so regularly
adding compost and organic matter to
your garden serves a double function.
The most effective method of
managing harmful nematodes is to
use a combination of these methods,
as just one will probably not be
effective on its own.
Beneficial Nematodes
Beneficial nematodes are a
gardener’s best friend. Instead of
attacking our plants, they attack a
wide variety of garden pests. The
most helpful strains in the garden
are endoparasites of insects, which
introduce Xenorhabdus sp. bacteria
into the insects they eat. This
bacteria kills them within 24-48 hours
and breaks down their tissues so
the nematodes can make their home
inside of the insect, lay their eggs,
and feed on the decomposing tissue.
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Maximum Yield