THE BIOLOGY OF THE MEADOW NEMATODE PRATYLENCHUS PRATENSIS (DE MAN) FILIPJEV 1936

Abstract

The meadow nematode completes its life cycle in 54 to 65 days—25 to 31 days from the larval stage to the adult, and 29 to 34 days from maturation to the second generation. Eggs are deposited by a single female at the rate of not more than one a day. The largest number of eggs laid by a single female in one place was sixteen, owing apparently to migratory habits. The total number of eggs from a single female could not be determined.The adult male and female and all larval stages of this species are capable of entering the roots of oats. They are very susceptible to desiccation. No living nematodes were recovered from invaded root tissue that was allowed to dry. In moist excised oat roots, the nematodes remained viable for more than 30 days, but in water the majority died within the same period. A ten-minute immersion of infested oat roots in hot water will destroy the meadow nematode only when the temperature is 120° F., or higher.