The efficacy of two isolates of the nematode-trapping fungus Duddingtonia flagrans against Dictyocaulus viviparus larvae in faeces

A series of experiments was carried out to examine the effects of two different isolates of the nematode-trapping fungus Duddingtonia flagrans to reduce the number of free-living larvae of the bovine lungworm, Dictyocaulus viviparus. A laboratory dose-titration assay showed that isolates CI3 and Troll A of D. flagrans significantly reduced (P <0.05 to P <0.001) the number of infective D. viviparus larvae in cultures at dose-levels of 6250 and 12,500 chlamydospores/g of faeces.

The larval reduction capacity was significantly higher for Troll A compared to CI3 when lungworm larvae were mixed in faecal cultures with eggs of Cooperia oncophora or Ostertagia ostertagi and treated with 6250 chlamydospores/g of faeces. Both fungal isolates showed a stronger effect on gastrointestinal larvae than on lungworm larvae.

Two plot trials conducted in 1996 and 1997 involved deposition of artificial faecal pats containing free-living stages of D. viviparus and C. oncophora on grass plots. Herbage around the pars was collected at regular intervals and infective larvae recovered, counted and identified. These experiments showed that both D. flagrans isolates reduced the number of gastrointestinal as well as lungworm larvae in faecal pats.

During both plot trials, the transmission of C. oncophora larvae, but not D. viviparus, from faecal pats to the surrounding herbage was clearly affected by climatic conditions. After collection of faecal pats from the grass plots one month after deposition, the wet and dry weight of pats as well as organic matter content were determined.

No differences were found between the fungus-treated and nan-treated control pats. This indicated that the rate of degradation of faeces was not affected by the addition of the fungus.