The fungal antagonists of nematodes consist of a great variety of organisms belonging to widely divergent orders and families of fungi. They include nematode trapping fungi, endozoic fungi, fungi which produce toxic metabolites and parasites of nematode eggs, cyst and females. Among these groups nematode egg and cyst parasites are considered as important group in reducing several sedentary endoparasitic nematodes. Because the oviposition nature of these nematodes (both in the egg masses and cysts) results in the total exposure of the eggs to fungal attack and once fungal invasion takes place the process is progressive. The discovery of fungill parasites on the eggs of plant parasitic nematode has been very recent. Several organisms have been reported to parasitize eggs and cyst of plant parasitic nematodes. Paecilomyces lilacinus is one of the important nematode egg parasitic fungi reported to parasitize species of Meloidogyne spp., Globodera spp. and Heterodera spp. The importance of nematode egg parasitic fungus, P. lilacinus in soil biology, with special emphasis on their relationship to population of plant parasitic nematodes is reviewed. To date no species has demonstrated for the control of plant nematode pest to a degree achieved with nematicides, but recent studies on egg parasitic fungus, P. lilacinus have provided a much clear concept of possibilities and problems in the applied use of fungal antagonists for the management of plant parasitic nematodes.
