Rev 01/31/2023
Mesoanguina picridis (Kirjanova, 1944) Brzeski, 1981
Anguina picridis
.
Reported median body size for this species (Length mm; width micrometers; weight micrograms) - Click:
Reported from Russia.
Russian knapweed is an invasive species in North America, introduced as a contaminant in the 1900s. Inoculation experiments in Russia demonstrated considerable damage to knapweed.
Nematodes imported from Russia were released in Canada for biological control of Russian knapweed, Acroptilon repens (Watson, 1986b).
Forms galls on stems, leaves and root collar of Russian knapweed, Acroptilon repens, which is considered a noxious weed in Canada and the United States. The induced galls contain nutritive cells on which the nematode feeds.
The nematode has been investigated for its potential as a biological control agent of Russian knapweed (Watson 1986a,b). Infection of knapweed reduces plant growth and seed production.
Russian knapweed is the major host. Diffuse knapweed (Centaurea diffusa Lam.) is moderately susceptible. Galls form on some other plants in the Asteraceae but since reproduction of the nematode did not occur, they are considered resistant to S. picridis (Watson, 1986a).
Second-stage juveniles, the infective stage, of S. picridis go into a state of quiescence (cryptobiosis) induced by dehydration when the host plant senesces at the end of the growing season.
Ecophysiological Parameters:
In Canadian studies, consistent gall formation was obtained only when Russian knapweed was grown in a relatively cool, moist, nutrient poor environment in whuch the host plant grew slowly. .Juveniles were unable to induce gall formation on their hosts until a period of time, about one month, had elapsed after being revived from the cryptobiotic state (Watson, 1986b).
Subanguina picridis was released at three locations in Canada in the 1980s as a potential biological control agent of Russian knapweed.
Note that similar experiments have been conducted with Ditylenchus [Nothanguina] (=Orrina)] phyllobia for biological control of silverleaf nightshade and Mesoanguina amsinckiae for biological control of fiddleneck, Amsinckia intermedia.
Nematodes were encapsulated in calcium alginate granules and dried after coating with a unique inverting oil followed by an oil absorbent. Fewer than 50% of the nematodes survived for 1 month when coated or uncoated whole galls were stored at 4 or −20°C, with viability declining rapidly thereafter. Nematodes extracted from galls and formulated in calcium alginate survived in dry granules for up to 9 months at −20°C with no significant loss of infectivity (Caesartonthat et al., 1993).
Host Plant Resistance, Non-hosts and Crop Rotation alternatives:
Caesartonthat, T.C., Dyer, W.E., Quimby, P.C., Rosenthal, S.S. 1995. Formulation of an Endoparasitic Nematode, Mesoanguina picridis Brzeski, a Biological Control Agent for Russian Knapweed, Acroptilon repens (L.)DC. Biocontrol 5:262-288.
Chizhov, V.N. & Subbotin, S.A. 1985. [Revision of the nematode from the subfamily Anguininae (Nematoda, Tylenchida) on the basis of their biological characteristics]. Zoologichesky Zhurnal 64: 1476- 1486 (in Russian).
Watson, A. K. 1986a. Host range of, and plant reaction to, Mesoanguina picridis. Journal of Nematology 18:112-120.
Watson, A. K. 1986b. Biology of Mesoanguina picridis, a potential biological control agent of Russian knapweed. Journal of Nematology 18:149-154.