Variability in Indian isolates of Arthrobotrys dactyloides Drechsler: a nematode-trapping fungus.

Five isolates of Arthrobotrys dactyloides (A, B, C, D, and E) were isolated from different locations of India. Their variability in relation to morphology, radial growth, and nematode capturing or trap-forming ability was observed. All of the five isolates produced two-celled slender conidia, whereas wider two- and three-celled conidia were produced by isolates A, C, D, and E only. The wider two- and three-celled conidia were not observed in cultures of isolate B. The isolate B produced macroconidia as well as microconidia. The microconidia were produced on separate conidiophores of smaller size. Macroconidia and microconidia were never produced on the same conidiophore, but the two types of conidiophores were produced on same or different hyphae. Similar to macroconidia, the microconidia also produced constricting rings of smaller size in presence of Meloidogyne graminicola. The constricting rings formed on microconidia did not capture second-stage juveniles of M. graminicola because of their smaller size. Among all the isolates, isolate B showed slow growth and higher nematode-capturing ability or trap-forming ability.