Journal of Nematology (2004) 36, 327-328

N. Kokalis-Burelle and E.E. Lewis (2004)
Effects of pre- and post-plant applications of Steinernema riobrave on root-knot nematode populations and galling of tomato
Journal of Nematology 36 (3), 327-328
paper presented at the Society of Nematologists 43rd Annual Meeting, Estes Park, Colorado 7-11 August 2004
Abstract: Several rates of the entomopathogenic nematode (EPN) Steinernema riobrave applied pre- and post-plant were evaluated for control of Meloidogyne incognita on tomato in Florida microplots. Experiments were performed in spring and repeated in fall of 2001. Treatments were four pre-plant rates of S. riobrave, untreated, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 x 10⁹ infectioe juveniles (IJ)/a; combined with one post-plant application rate of 1 x 10⁹ (IJ)/a. Root-knot nematode (RKN) populations were assessed pre-plant/pre-treatment, post-treatment, 7 days after planting (DAP), 14 DAP, after post-plant treatment, and at end of season. In the spring, with cool soil temperatures in the early season, application of additional EPN after planting improved plant growth and root condition but did not significantly reduce galling. Area under the development curve for RKN populations showed low rates of EPN applied early in the spring increased numbers of RKN isolated from soil while higher rates reduced them. The combination of high pre-plant rates and post-plant application of EPN reduced numbers of RKN juveniles isolated from soil over the growing season to the greatest degree. In the fall, Soil temperatures were high early in the season and the post-plant application of EPN did not enhance plant growth, root condition or reduce galling. However, higher pre-plant rates of EPN had lower amounts of galling while more RKN juveniles were isolated from soil over the season. The fact that populations remained high but the juveniles did not infect the roots indicates that EPN may interfere with RKN mobility or host location. Also, soil temperature at the time of EPN application can greatly affect results.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Database assignments for author(s): Edwin E. Lewis, Nancy Kokalis-Burelle

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
biocontrol - natural enemies
Research topic(s) for beneficials or antagonists:
general biology - morphology - evolution
application technology

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Meloidogyne incognita	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)	U.S.A. (SE)
Steinernema (genus - predators)	Meloidogyne incognita	Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum)	U.S.A. (SE)