ISSN 2736-1756
Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research Vol. 2012
Available online at http://internationalscholarsjournals.org/journal/ajmr
© 2012 International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
An improved method for the extraction of nematodes using iodixanol (OptiPrep Ô)
Dewang Deng1, Allan Zipf1, Y. Tilahun1, G.C.Sharma1, J. Jenkins2 and K. Lawrence3
1Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, Alabama A&M University, Normal, AL.
2USDA-ARS-CSRL, Mississippi State, MS
3Entomology and Plant Pathology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL
Accepted 16 April, 2012
Abstract
A new nematode extraction technique was established, which is based on an iso-osmotic density- gradient medium (OptiPrepTM). This technique resulted in significantly higher numbers of clean eggs and vermiform nematodes that retain higher viability (48.6%) than samples processed with the sucrose method (28.7%). Nematodes survived exposure to OptiPrepTM for 22 hours without significant mortality whereas all nematodes died in the sucrose medium. OptiPrepTM provided a suitable, non-toxic alternative to the traditional density gradient material for the isolation of nematodes. This technique is convenient and relatively simple, with the added benefit of yielding cleaner samples compared to traditional isolation techniques.
Key words: nematode extraction, density gradient, nematology.