Perform is ongoing to stick to these trends and to figure out long-term performance of those germplasm entries within this website below heavy nematode pressure. MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTICS OF ROOT-KNOT NEMATODES ON PITTOSPORUM TOBIRA IN FLORIDA. Baidoo, Richard1, T.M. Mengistu1, J.A. Brito2, and W.T. Crow1. 1Entomology and Nematology Department, SGC707 University of Florida, PO Box 110620, Natural Area, Dr., Gainesville, FL 32611; and 2Florida Division of Plant Sector, 1119 SW 34th St., Gainesville, FL 32608. Many ornamental crops are recognized to be susceptible to root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp). A survey is on-going to recognize Meloidogyne spp occurring on 5 cut foliage and ornamental crops, central to Florida’s green market. From each plant root collected, a single and five root-knot nematode females were utilized for genomic DNA extraction. PCR was carried out making use of a primer set to amplify the area between the cytochrome oxidase subunit II gene and the big subunit in the 16S ribosomal RNA gene in the Mitochondrial DNA. A single fragment of about 1.7kb was developed for both single females as well as the 5 females collected from roots of Pittosporum tobira. Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) from the 1.7 kb fragment utilizing Hinf I restriction enzyme produced a three-banded pattern characteristic of Meloidogyne incognita. The survey is on-going and added Meloidogyne spp are probably to become detected. AMBUSH FORAGING ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODES EMPLOY `SPRINTING EMIGRANTS’ FOR Extended DISTANCE DISPERSAL Inside the ABSENCE OF HOSTS. Bal, Harit K., Robin A.J. Taylor, and P.S. Grewal. Division of Entomology, OARDC, The Ohio State University, Wooster, OH 44691. Ambush foragers need to employ some long-distance dispersal method to maximize reproductive success within the absence of hosts. To test this hypothesis we compared lateral dispersal in the ambusher, Steinernema carpocapsae and cruiser, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora from infected host cadavers in sterilized silt loam soil in microcosms (0.05 m2-1.five m2) with or devoid of vegetation inside the absence of hosts. Nematode dispersal was estimated by taking soil cores (five by 2 cm dia) from the microcosms at various intervals (6-240 h) and distances (three.8-61 cm) in the infected host cadavers and baiting with Galleria mellonella larvae. The numbers of baited larvae killed along with the numbers of infective juveniles penetrated in dead baits were counted and analyzed by x2 contingency tables. Final results revealed that vegetation enhanced dispersal of each species but extra so in H. bacteriophora. Average population displacement was equivalent (;six cm/day) for each species but theMeeting Abstracts 451 pattern of dispersal differed spatio-temporally. Almost all H. bacteriophora dispersed away (three.8-61 cm) from the cadaver, but majority (66 ) of S. carpocapsae remained within eight cm in the cadaver. Interestingly, a smaller proportion (0.two ) of S. carpocapsae dispersed considerably faster and farther than H. bacteriophora. This use of apparently `sprinting emigrants’ may possibly represent an adaptive dispersal tactic by the otherwise ambush forager S. carpocapsae inside the absence of hosts. The difference inside the degree of movement (both active and passive) of your two EPN species in the field, determined in two various habitats, potato and adjoining grassy border over distance and time, compared using the final results obtained from laboratory experiments are going to be presented.