Effect of water flow on the mobility of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita in columns filled with glass beads, sand or andisol

Abstract

In the present study, the migration of nematodes was studied in columns filled with three materials of different textures and chemical properties. The role of soil pores that enable root-knot nematode ( Meloidogyne incognita) second stage juveniles (J2) to escape rapid water flow in soil was demonstrated using columns filled with glass beads, sand or andisol that maintained a constant water flow. Under a constant flow flux of 36 cm h −1, living J2, dead J2 or anion bromine tracer (Br −) was injected in the middle of the column and then drainage water equivalent to two pore volumes (PV) was collected. The passive transport of the anion tracer in water flow could be explained by a convection dispersion equation. The dead J2 showed a pattern similar to that of Br −. However, the living J2 resisted movement in the water flow and remained in the column even at the highest water flow rate of 93.3 cm h −1 in glass beads. The mobility of living J2 was affected by the filling materials; the number of J2 passing through the column was much lower in the andisol-filled column than in the other two columns but the total number of J2 in drainage water was 5% or less of the number injected for all columns. We suggest that J2 were affected not only by soil water flow but also by soil pore structure and have the ability of withstanding or avoiding movement in soil water flow.