Influence of earthworms on larval emergence in the potato-root eelworm, Heterodera rostochiensis Wollenweber |
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Authors: | C. Ellenby BSc Ph.D. |
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Affiliation: | Department of Zoology, King's College, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, University of Durham |
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Abstract: | Hatching experiments were carried out with potato-root eelworm cysts ( a ) from plant pots containing different numbers of earthworms, and ( b ) from worm casts. Cysts from these sources differed from controls in the following ways: (1) more larvae emerged, per cyst; (2) the larvae emerged sooner; (3) more cysts produced larvae; (4) the number of emerging larvae, per cyst, increased with the number of earthworms. Examination of the contents of cysts isolated from worm casts showed that, compared with controls, 145% more eggs hatched; it also indicated some of the limitations of the 'per-cyst' basis of expressing results. |
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