First Report of an Unrecorded Nematode-trapping Fungus, Arthrobotrys sinensis in Korea

Nematode-trapping fungi use various specialized traps to capture nematodes. A fungus that can capture nematodes in three dimensional adhesive networks was isolated from the soil around the root of Cucumis melo L. (Oriental melon) in Seongju, Korea. The conidiophores were found to be septate, hyaline, erect and 290-528 (342.8) μm high. It produces obovoid shape and 1-3 septate (commonly 2-septate) conidia with a size of 30.5 × 20.3 μm. Molecular analysis of 5.8 S rDNA displayed 99% similarity to Arthrobotrys sinensis. On the basis of morphological, morphometric and molecular studies, the fungus was identified as A. sinensis. It is the first report in Korea which can be one of biological control resource of plant-parasitic nematode.