Nematophagous fungi as a biological control agent for nematode parasites of small ruminants in Malaysia: a special emphasis on Duddingtonia flagrans.
Approximately 2,800 fresh dung samples from animals, mainly ruminant livestock, were screened for the presence of nematophagous fungi in Malaysia. Arthrobotrys spp. was noted on numerous occasions, but only one isolate of Duddingtonia flagrans was made. For the purposes of producing sufficient quantities of this fungus for feeding trials in sheep, various, commonly available, cheap plant materials were tested as possible growth substrates. This showed that cereal grains (wheat, millet and rice) were the best media for fungal growth. Pen feeding trials were carried out using sheep, both naturally and experimentally infected with nematode parasites (predominantely Haemonchus contortus), to test the efficiency of D. flagrans when administered either in a grain supplement, or incorporated into a feed block. These showed that the fungus survived gut passage in sheep and that dose rates of approximately 1 x 10(6) D. flagrans spores / animal / day, reduced the percentage of infective larvae developing in faecal cultures by more than 90%. These results indicate that using D. flagrans as a biological control agent of nematode parasites, is a promising alternative to nematode parasite control of small ruminants in Malaysia, where anthelmintic resistance is now a major problem.
Chandrawathani
Panchacharam
P
Veterinary Research Institute, 59 Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, 31400 Ipoh, Malaysia.
Jamnah
Omar
O
Waller
Peter John
PJ
Höglund
Johan
J
Larsen
Michael
M
Zahari
Wan Mohammed
WM
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000382:microbiology; D000818:Animals; D001203:Ascomycota / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D005243:Feces / Q000382:microbiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D008296:Malaysia; D003904:Mitosporic Fungi / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D009348:Nematoda; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000662:veterinary; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013172:Spores, Fungal / Q000302:isolation & purification