- Nematodes are the most numerous multicellular animals on earth.
- There are nearly 20,000 identified species in the phylum
Nemata.
- A handful of soil typically contains thousands of these microsocopic worms.
- Most nematodes feed on bacteria, fungi, and other soil
organisms. Others are parasitic, obtaining their food from animals (such as the dog heartworm), humans (such as
the pinworm), and plants.
- There are many different types of plant-parasitic nematodes, but only about 10 different genera cause most of the problems in
agriculture and horticulture. Each type of nematode generally prefers to attack specific plants.
Plant-parasitic nematodes generally attack the root system. Nematode feeding on roots reduces the flow of water and nutrients
into the plant, and thus reduces the yield of agricultural crops. In
addition, nematode infestations weaken plants, making them more susceptible to other stress factors such as heat, water, and
nutritional deficiencies, and to other disease-causing organisms.
Agricultural cultivation encourages an increase in parasitic nematodes that feed on the crops being grown. Occasionally, new kinds of plant parasitic nematodes may be introduced into a field by contaminated plant parts, soil on farm equipment, and irrigation water.
Pasteuria Bioscience is developing products based on
Pasteuria spp. to treat major nematode pests in most agricultural crops. The first product treats
sting nematodes in strawberry production and professional turf (golf courses and athletic fields). Subsequent products will treat nematodes in vegetable crops such as
root-knot nematode, and in agronomic crops such as soybean (soybean cyst nematode) and cotton (Reniform nematode).
© 2009, Pasteuria Bioscience, Inc.
