Parasitism of oospores of Pythium spp. by strains of Actinoplanes spp.

Abstract

Strains of Actinoplanes spp. were evaluated for their in vitro parasitism of oospores of Pythium aphanidermatum, Pythium arrhenomanes, Pythium irregulare, Pythium myriotylum, and Pythium ultimum. Oospores of Pythium arrhenomanes, Pythium irregulare, and Pythium myriotylum were identified for the first time as hosts of Actinoplanes spp. Newly recorded parasites of oospores of Pythium spp. were Actinoplanes azureus, Actinoplanes brasiliensis, Actinoplanes caeruleus, Actinoplanes ferrugineus, Actinoplanes ianthinogenes, Actinoplanes italicus, Actinoplanes minutisporangius, Actinoplanes rectilineatus, Actinoplanes teichomyceticus, Actinoplanes utahensis, Actinoplanes violaceous, Actinoplanes yunnahenis, plus 15 strains of Actinoplanes yet to be speciated. Parasitized oospores had disorganized cytoplasms and hyphae of Actinoplanes sp. emerging from them. Infection of oospores in vitro varied from 0 to > 90%. Strains also were very active parasites of oospores in sterile soils. When added to nonsterile soils, several strains increased (p = 0.05) the level of oospore parasitism compared with nonsupplemented soils. Strains of Actinoplanes spp. exhibited a host specificity for species of Pythium in vitro and in soil. Sporulation of Actinoplanes sp. from infected oospores incubated on soil was frequent and more abundant than that observed in vitro.Key words: Pythium spp., Actinoplanes spp., actinomycetes, biological control, host–parasite specificity.