ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Nematophagous fungus

Okay kiddo, so there's this thing called a nematophagous fungus. It's a type of fungus that likes to eat nematodes. Nematodes are really tiny worms that can be found in soil, water, and even inside plants and animals.

The nematophagous fungus has special sticky traps called "traps" that can catch and kill the nematodes. The traps are like spider webs, but they're made of a special material that's sticky and can trap the nematodes.

Once the nematodes are caught in the traps, the fungus starts to grow and spread all around the nematodes. The fungus secretes enzymes, which break down the nematodes into tiny pieces that the fungus can eat.

This is good news for plants, because nematodes can be bad for them. Nematodes can eat the roots of plants, which can make the plants sick or even kill them. But with the nematophagous fungus around, the plants have a natural way to get rid of nematodes.

So, the nematophagous fungus is like a superhero for plants. It uses its sticky traps to catch and eat nematodes, and in doing so, helps keep plants healthy and strong.