Plant Pathology (2004) 53, 508-514

M. Di Vito, N. Vovlas and P. Castillo (2004)
Host-parasite relationships of Meloidogyne incognita on spinach
Plant Pathology 53 (4), 508-514
Abstract: Host-parasite relationships in root-knot disease of spinach caused by Meloidogyne incognita race 1 were studied under glasshouse conditions. Nematode-induced mature galls were large and usually contained one or more females and egg masses with eggs. Feeding sites were characterized by the development of giant cells containing granular cytoplasm and many hypertrophied nuclei. The cytoplasm in these giant cells was aggregated alongside the thickened cell walls. Stelar tissues within galls appeared disorganized. The relationship between initial nematode population density (Pi) in a series from 0-128 eggs and second-stage juveniles per cm³ soil and growth of spinach cv. Symphony F₁ seedlings was tested under glasshouse conditions. A Seinhorst model [y = m + (1 -m)z^{P -T}] was fitted to fresh top- and total plant-weight data for inoculated and control plants. Tolerance limits (T) of spinach cv. Symphony F₁ to M. incognita race 1 for fresh top and total plant weights were 0.25 and 0.5 eggs and second-stage juveniles per cm³ soil, respectively. The minimum relative values for fresh top and total plant weights were zero in both cases at Pi > 32 eggs and second-stage juveniles per cm³ soil. Root galling was least at low initial population densities and greatest at 16 eggs and second-stage juveniles per cm³ soil. Maximum nematode reproduction rate was 33.1-fold at the lowest Pi.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website
Database assignments for author(s): Pablo Castillo, Nicola Vovlas

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
general biology - morphology - evolution

---

Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Meloidogyne incognita	Spinach (Spinacia oleracea)