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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit » Research » Research Project #442511

Research Project: Plant-Parasitic Nematodes of the Pacific Northwest Nursery Industry

Location: Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit

Project Number: 2072-22000-046-023-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Sep 1, 2022
End Date: Aug 31, 2027

Objective:
To identify and determine the host range of plant-parasitic nematodes affecting the Pacific Northwest nursery industry.

Approach:
Soil and root samples will be collected from up to six different nursery crops from 3-5 ornamental nurseries located in Oregon and Washington. Plant-parasitic nematodes will be extracted using Baermann funnels and then identified by morphological and molecular methods. The host range of the identified nematodes will then be evaluated against nursery crops and common nursery weed species in greenhouse pot trials. Test directed energy system technology (electricity) for control of plant-parasitic nematodes. Based on promising results from field trials in 2024-2025 (AM#2 Expanded SOW), we will test different parameters (pulse width, frequency, and voltage) for applying directed energy (electricity) to control plant-parasitic nematodes in soil and in plants in 2026 and 2027.