Verticillium genre includes Meloidogyne spp antogonists species, phytoparasitary nematodes causing severe losses in economically important tropical crops. In Cuba, it has never been informed the presence of nematophage species of it, which was a motive to seek and characterize the plague egg parasites Verticillum isolations.

From the inquiry undertaken in two principal coffee producing regions, 83 isolations were obtained, from which V. Chlamydosporium var. Catenulatum, V suchlasporium var. Catenulatum and V. Psalliotae species were identified and described for the first time in Cuba. Verticillium chlamydosporium var. Catenulatum biotype constituted a newly world founding, characterized by the presence of unusually huge dyctyclamidospores, as well as two types of V. Psalliotae. The diagnoses was confirmed through molecular studies of ITS region, proving the high variability found in these species . In the selection assays, strains of V. chlamydosporium var. Catenulatum showed better behavior than Chlamydosporium variety, the only one currently developed as biological control agent. Verticillium chlamydosporium var. Catenulatum Cvc – 108 strain , was selected as the most promissory one.

The possibility of meaking available new fungi species native strains having the capability of nematodes populations, allows counting on an environmentally safe new alternative to be included in the development of biological control programs before the use of very expensive and toxic chemical pesticides. Publications: Hidalgo L. et al. 1998. Vegetal Protection Journal 13 (1): 29 - 30. , Gómez L e Hidalgo, L 2000. Vegetal Protection Journal 15 (1). 1 - 6., Hidalgo et al. 2000. Vegetal Protection Journal 15 (3): 174 - 177., Hidalgo L. Internacional Journal of Pest Management  46 (4): 277 - 284, Hidalgo L. 2001. Vegetal Protection Journal (in press).