Therefore, the next step is to test our hypotheses on epizootic development in the greenhouse or field to establish performance of the fungus on spider mites feeding on various host plants. We thank the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) and the Brazilian National Council

for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) for providing the fellowship to the first author and funding for the study. The Norwegian Foundation for Research CYC202 in vitro Levy on Agricultural Products (FFL) and Agricultural Agreement Research Funds (JA) (Project No. 190407/110) funded man-hours used in preparation of this paper. “
“In recent years some studies have investigated the use of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) and their Roxadustat cost symbiotic bacteria as a strategy to control plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) (Lewis et al., 2001, Jagdale et al., 2002, Somasekhar et al., 2002 and Lewis and Grewal, 2005). There are reports of a reduction in the number of egg masses of Meloidogyne

partityla Kleynhans, in pecan seedlings co-inoculated with Steinernema riobrave Cabanillas, Poinar and Raulston, and in the number of galls induced by Meloidogyne mayaguensis Hammah and Hirschmann, in tomato plants co-inoculated with Heterorhabditis baujardi Phan, Subbotin, Nguyen and Moens, LPP7 ( Shapiro-Ilan et al., 2006 and Molina et al., 2007). However, there are no studies indicating at which development stage (s) of the PPN the negative effect of EPNs takes place, and the mechanisms involved. One possibility is that the PPNs are negatively affected by Molecular motor EPNs during the early stages of their development. After the eggs of Meloidogyne spp. have been laid embryogenesis starts, and it finishes with the formation of second-stage juveniles

(J2). Alternatively, eggs can undergo dormancy, during which the metabolism is kept low, allowing the eggs to survive longer under adverse conditions, such as lack of moisture or oxygen, or low temperatures ( Evans and Perry, 2009). Upon hatching stimulus, enzymes secreted by the pharyngeal glands of J2 cause hydrolysis and relaxation of the eggshell, with increased permeability to water and hydration of J2. The nematode’s stylet punctures the egg shell, which results in hatching of the J2. There is evidence that the egg/J2 stage of PPNs may be adversely affected by EPNs or their symbiotic bacteria. Ferreira (2007) showed that the proximity of M. mayaguensis eggs stimulates infective juveniles (IJs) of H. baujardi LPP7 to release the symbiotic entomopathogenic bacterium Photorhabdus luminescens, in Petri dishes. This bacterium has a negative effect on M. incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood, Caenorhabditis elegans Maupas and Acanthamoeba polyphaga ( Hu Li and Webster, 1995, Sicard et al., 2004 and Brugirard-Ricaud et al., 2005). Molina (2008) found increased mortality of J2 and reduced hatching of eggs of M. mayaguensis in the presence of Photorhabdus sp. filtered extract.