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A new isolate of the nematophagous fungus Duddingtonia flagrans a biological control agent against free-living larvae of horse strongyles.
Abstract: An experiment was carried out in 1997 to test the efficacy of an isolate of the microfungus Duddingtonia flagrans against free-living stages of horse strongyles under conditions in the field and to assess the eventual effect of the fungus on the normal degradation of faeces. Faecal pats were made from faeces of a naturally strongyle infected horse, which had been fed fungal material at a dose level of 106 fungal unit/kg bwt. Control pats without fungi were made from faeces collected from the same animal just before being fed fungi. Faecal cultures set up for both groups of faeces to monitor the activity of the fungus under laboratory conditions showed that the fungus significantly reduced the number of infective third-stage larvae (L3) by an average of 98.4%. Five faecal pats from each batch of faeces were deposited on pasture plots at 3 times during spring-summer. The herbage around each pat was sampled fortnightly to recover L3 transmitted from faeces. The results showed that the herbage infectivity around fungus-treated pats was reduced by 85.8-99.4%. The remaining faecal material at the end of each sampling period was collected, and the surviving L3 were extracted. Significantly fewer larvae were recovered from the fungus-treated pats. Analysis of wet and dry weight of the collected pats, as well as their organic matter content, were performed to compare the degradation of faeces of both groups. The results indicated that the presence of the fungus did not alter the degradation of the faeces.
Publication Date: 1999-12-22 PubMed ID: 10596930DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb03856.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.
The study sought to confirm the effectiveness of the Duddingtonia flagrans fungus in controlling the population of harmful strongyle larvae in horse faeces, and determine whether the presence of the fungus influences the natural decomposition of the faeces. The researchers found that the fungus significantly reduced the level of strongyle larvae, without impairing the normal decay of faecal matter.
Methodology
- An experiment was conducted using an isolate of the Duddingtonia flagrans fungus. This fungus has nematophagous properties, implying that it feeds on nematodes like the strongyles.
- Faecal samples were obtained from a horse naturally infected with strongyles. The horse was fed a dose of the Duddingtonia flagrans fungus before additional samples were taken.
- Control samples, without the presence of the fungus, were collected from the same horse before it was fed Duddingtonia flagrans.
- The faecal cultures for both groups were raised in a laboratory environment to monitor the effect of the fungus on the larvae under controlled conditions.
Results
- The laboratory tests revealed that the presence of the Duddingtonia flagrans fungus reduced the number of infective strongyle larvae by an average of 98.4%.
- When faecal samples (treated and untreated) were placed in pasture plots, the herbage infectivity, or the number of third-stage larvae raised in the plots, decreased significantly for the fungus-treated samples.
- The levels of remaining infective larvae in the treated faecal material were significantly lower than the untreated samples.
Impact of Fungus on Faecal Degradation
- The researchers also studied whether the Duddingtonia flagrans fungus had any impact on the natural breakdown of the faeces.
- This analysis, based on the wet and dry weight, and organic matter content of the faecal samples, indicated that the presence of the fungus did not significantly alter the degradation of the faeces.
Conclusions
- The study demonstrates that the Duddingtonia flagrans fungus works effectively to control the population of free-living strongyle larvae in horse faeces.
- Moreover, the presence of this fungus does not inhibit the natural faecal decomposition process, making the fungus a commendable biological control agent.
Cite This Article
APA
Silvina Fernández A, Henningsen E, Larsen M, Nansen P, Grønvold J, Søndergaard J.
(1999).
A new isolate of the nematophagous fungus Duddingtonia flagrans a biological control agent against free-living larvae of horse strongyles.
Equine Vet J, 31(6), 488-491.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1999.tb03856.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Danish Centre for Experimental Parasitology, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg C.
MeSH Terms
- Animal Feed / microbiology
- Animals
- Feces / microbiology
- Feces / parasitology
- Horses
- Larva
- Mitosporic Fungi / physiology
- Parasite Egg Count / veterinary
- Pest Control, Biological
- Strongyle Infections, Equine / prevention & control
- Strongylus
Citations
This article has been cited 1 times.- de Almeida GL, Santurio JM, Filho JO, Zanette RA, Camillo G, Flores AG, da Silva JH, de la Rue ML. Predatory activity of the fungus Duddingtonia flagrans in equine strongyle infective larvae on natural pasture in the Southern Region of Brazil. Parasitol Res 2012 Feb;110(2):657-62.
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