Five nematophagous fungi were evaluated for their nematicidal effect in vitro on Rhabditis sp. and Meloidogyne hapla in soil. Inocula of Arthrobotrys arthrobotryoides, A. conoides, A. oligospora, Dactylella lobata, and Fusarium oxyaporum were grown in moistened corn-sandy soil and chopped potato-sandy soil media, and incubated at 26 for one week. The prepared inocula were incorporated in autoclaved sandy soil, mixing thoroughly at rates equ-invalent to 1:50, 1:100, 1:200, and 1:400, repectively, before 80g of the mixture carrying 100 Rhabditis sp. was put into petri plates. Nematophagous fungi effectively teduced the popuation of Rhabditis sp. in soil in a week or two following treatment of the incula at concentration of 1:50 and 1:100. The optimum was at for nematicidial effect as high as 80-100%. The at the rate of 1:100 prepared incula were incorporated in auto-claved soil, where 100 Juveniles M. hapla were introduced per 80% soil. All fungi infected the M. hapla effectively in soil, caysing more than 90% mortality within one week. This result indicated the potential value of these fungi as promising biocontrol agents

• Hee Kyu Kim
• Mi Jeong Jeong
• Ho Yul Choo
• Chang Seuk Park