Why does the nematode biological control ( Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita) work for some gardeners but not all? Working with collaborators at Liverpool John Moores University we are testing survival of P. hermaphrodita in different soil types and under different conditions. Adams, Byron J.; Wall, Diana H.; Storey, Bryan C.; Green, T.G. Allan; Barrett, John E.; Cary, S. Craig; etal. (15 February 2019). "Nematodes in a polar desert reveal the relative role of biotic interactions in the coexistence of soil animals". Communications Biology. 2 (1): 63. doi: 10.1038/s42003-018-0260-y. ISSN 2399-3642. PMC 6377602. PMID 30793042. The presence of biological controls should not interfere with normal gardening activities such as ventilating glasshouses and watering, although it is necessary to avoid the use ofpesticides

Jithendran, & Bhat, T. . (1999). Epidemiology of Parasitoses in Dairy Animals in the North West Humid Himalayan Region of India with Particular Reference to Gastrointestinal Nematodes. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 31(4), 205–214. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005263009921Recent RHS research has found that barriers, grit or other sharp materials, are not reliable although you will find many gardeners who swear by them. Barriers, thought to repel slugs, include rough or sharp textured mulches and substances thought to be distasteful or strong smelling. Copper-base barriers have been shown to repel slugs in some studies. A recent RHS studyin a garden-realistic scenario however, found no reduction in slug damage from barriers made of copper tape, bark mulch, eggshells, sharp grit or wool pellets Chitwood BG (1937). "A revised classification of the Nematoda". Papers on Helminthology published in commemoration of the 30year Jubileum of ... K.J. Skrjabin... Moscow: All-Union Lenin Academy of Agricultural Sciences. pp.67–79. The name of the group Nematoda, informally called "nematodes", came from Nematoidea, originally defined by Karl Rudolphi (1808), [28] from Ancient Greek νῆμα ( nêma, nêmatos, 'thread') and -eiδἠς ( -eidēs, 'species'). It was treated as family Nematodes by Burmeister (1837). [28]

In this section, I will discuss the numerous benefits of utilising slug nematodes as a means of pest control in gardens and allotments. Eco-Friendly Pest Control

What if I want to use Nemaslug in my greenhouse?

Nemaslug can be applied any time when slugs are present as long as the soil temperature is 5oC (40oF). Slug collars - plastic rings with a lip to make crossing it difficult, placed around individual plants such as lettuce. Nemaslug can be used on clay soils that have been well worked with other organic materials. Do not use if the area you wish to treat is waterlogged or very heavy wet clay.

Qing X, Bert W (2019). "Family Tylenchidae (Nematoda): an overview and perspectives". Organisms Diversity & Evolution. 19 (3): 391–408. doi: 10.1007/s13127-019-00404-4. S2CID 190873905. Nematodes live in the soil so, if you can, it is better to apply to the soil. However, if because of dense foliage this is impossible, after application wash them off into the soil with some extra water. Pramer C (1964). "Nematode-trapping fungi". Science. 144 (3617): 382–388. Bibcode: 1964Sci...144..382P. doi: 10.1126/science.144.3617.382. PMID 14169325. Bhanoo, S.N. (1 June 2011). "Nematode found in mine is first subsurface multicellular organism". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331 . Retrieved 13 June 2011.Nematodes as a whole possess a wide range of modes of reproduction. [55] Some nematodes, such as Heterorhabditis spp., undergo a process called endotokia matricida: intrauterine birth causing maternal death. [56] Some nematodes are hermaphroditic, and keep their self-fertilized eggs inside the uterus until they hatch. The juvenile nematodes then ingest the parent nematode. This process is significantly promoted in environments with a low food supply. [56] Coghlan, A. (7 September 2005). "Nematode genome evolution" (PDF). WormBook: 1–15. doi: 10.1895/wormbook.1.15.1. PMC 4781476. PMID 18050393. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 March 2016 . Retrieved 13 January 2016.