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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #193941
Title: HOST STATUS OF MELOIDOGYNE FLORIDENSIS ON SELECTED WEEDS AND COVER CROPS COMMON TO FLORIDA

Author
item STANLEY, JASON - FDACS, DPI
item Burelle, Nancy
item DICKSON, DON - UNIV. OF FLORIDA

Submitted to: Nematropica
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/2010
Publication Date: 12/1/2006
Citation: Stanley, J., Burelle, N.K., Dickson, D. 2006. Host status of meloidogyne floridensis on selected weeds and cover crops common to florida. Nematropica. 36(2).

Interpretive Summary: A newly described species of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne floridensis, capable of breaking resistance in certain crops, has been found in several regions in Florida. There is extremely limited information available on the host range for this new root-knot nematode species. Experiments were performed to determine the host range status for several cover crops commonly used in Florida vegetable and ornamental production systems, and several weeds common to Florida. The reproductive factor (Rf) represents the ability of the nematode to reproduce on a crop. Meloidogyne floridensis Rf was determined for five weed species: Datura stramonium (jimsonweed), Ipomoea quamoclit (cypressvine), Malva sylvestris (zebina), Nasturtium officianalis (English watercress), Passiflora edulis (passion fruit), and five cover crops: Brassica napus (rape), Crotalaria juncea (sunn hemp), Sesamum indicum (sesame), Sorghum bicolor var. sudanense (sorghum sudangrass), Trifolium incarnatum (crimson clover). Plants considered good hosts for M. floridensis included clover (Rf = 18), zebina (Rf = 14), rape (Rf = 8), English watercress (Rf = 6), and cypressvine (Rf = 5). Plants considered poor hosts included sunn hemp (Rf = 0.5) and sesame (Rf = 0.2). Nonhosts were jimsonweed (Rf = 0.04), sorghum sudangrass (Rf = 0.04), and passion fruit (Rf = 0.01).

Technical Abstract: Meloidogyne floridensis was recently described as a new species of root-knot nematode infecting peach (Prunus persica) in Florida USA. This nematode is of particular importance because it reproduces on root-knot nematode resistant peach rootstocks, namely ‘Guardian’, ‘Nemaguard’, ‘Nemared’, and ‘Okinawa’. The host status of 10 plant species to M. floridensis was determined. Plants tested included five weed species: Datura stramonium (jimsonweed), Ipomoea quamoclit (cypressvine), Malva sylvestris (zebina), Nasturtium officianalis (English watercress), Passiflora edulis (passion fruit), and five cover crops: Brassica napus (rape), Crotalaria juncea (sunn hemp), Sesamum indicum (sesame), Sorghum bicolor var. sudanense (sorghum sudangrass), Trifolium incarnatum (crimson clover). Seedlings were germinated in the greenhouse in a nematode-free, specialty vermiculite potting medium in clean transplant trays, and transferred to 17-cm diam. pots containing pasteurized soil when they were 10 to 15 cm high. Five plants of each species were inoculated with 5,000 M. floridensis eggs and five plants served as noninoculated controls. Comparisons of fresh shoot weight, fresh root weight, eggs per gram of root, total eggs, gall ratings, and reproductive factor using Pf/Pi ratios were made 51 days after inoculation. Plants with a reproductive factor > 1 were considered good hosts for M. floridensis and included clover (Rf = 18), zebina (Rf = 14), rape (Rf = 8), English watercress (Rf = 6), and cypressvine (Rf = 5). Plants with a reproductive factor < 1, and > than 0.1 were considered poor hosts and included sunn hemp (Rf = 0.5) and sesame (Rf = 0.2). Nonhosts (Rf < 0.1) were jimsonweed (Rf = 0.04), sorghum sudangrass (Rf = 0.04), and passion fruit (Rf = 0.01).