Southern Root-knot Nematode Meloidogyne Incognita Research Articles

Control of the plant-parasitic nematode Meloidogyne incognita in soil and on tomato roots by Clonostachys rosea.

Clonostachys rosea is a well-known mycoparasite that has recently been investigated as a bio-based alternative to chemical nematicides for the control of plant-parasitic nematodes. In the search for a promising biocontrol agent, the ability of the C. rosea strain PHP1701 to control the southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita was tested. Control of M. incognita in vitro and in soil by C. rosea strain PHP1701 was significant and concentration dependent. Small pot greenhouse trials confirmed a significant reduction in tomato root galling compared to the untreated control. In a large greenhouse trial, the control effect was confirmed in early and mid-season. Tomato yield was higher when the strain PHP1701 was applied compared to the untreated M. incognita-infected control. However, the yield of non-M. incognita-infected tomato plants was not reached. A similar reduction in root galling was also observed in a field trial. The results highlight the potential of this fungal strain as a promising biocontrol agent for root-knot nematode control in greenhouses, especially as part of an integrated pest management approach. We recommend the use of C. rosea strain PHP1701 for short-season crops and/or to reduce M. incognita populations on fallow land before planting the next crop.

Isolation, Identification and Molecular Mechanism Analysis of the Nematicidal Compound Spectinabilin from Newly Isolated Streptomyces sp. DT10.

Plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are highly destructive and difficult to control, while conventional chemical nematicides are highly toxic and cause serious environmental pollution. Additionally, resistance to existing pesticides is becoming increasingly common. Biological control is the most promising method for the controlling of PPNs. Therefore, the screening of nematicidal microbial resources and the identification of natural products are of great significance and urgency for the environmentally friendly control of PPNs. In this study, the DT10 strain was isolated from wild moss samples and identified as Streptomyces sp. by morphological and molecular analysis. Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model, the extract of DT10 was screened for nematicidal activity, which elicited 100% lethality. The active compound was isolated from the extracts of strain DT10 using silica gel column chromatography and semipreparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The compound was identified as spectinabilin (chemical formula C28H31O6N) using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Spectinabilin exhibited a good nematicidal activity on C. elegans L1 worms, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 2.948 μg/mL at 24 h. The locomotive ability of C. elegans L4 worms was significantly reduced when treated with 40 μg/mL spectinabilin. Further analysis of spectinabilin against known nematicidal drug target genes in C. elegans showed that it acts via target(s) different from those of some currently used nematicidal drugs such as avermectin and phosphine thiazole. This is the first report on the nematicidal activity of spectinabilin on C. elegans and the southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. These findings may pave the way for further research and application of spectinabilin as a potential biological nematicide.

Additional fertilizer and nematicide combinations on upland cotton to manage Rotylenchulus reniformis and Meloidogyne incognita in Alabama.

Plant parasitic nematodes are major pests on upland cotton worldwide and in the United States. The reniform nematode, Rotylenchulus reniformis and the southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita are some of the most damaging nematodes on cotton in the United States. Current management strategies focus on reducing nematode populations with nematicides. The objective of this research was to integrate additional fertilizer and nematicide combinations into current practices to establish economical nematode management strategies while promoting cotton yield and profit. Microplot and field trials were run to evaluate fertilizer and nematicide combinations applied at the pinhead square (PHS) and first bloom (FB) plant growth stages to reduce nematode population density and promote plant growth and yield. Cost efficiency was evaluated based on profit from lint yields and chemical input costs. Data combined from 2019 and 2020 suggested a nematicide seed treatment (ST) ST + (NH4)2SO4 + Vydate® C-LV + Max-In® Sulfur was the most effective in increasing seed cotton yields in the R. reniformis microplot trials. In R. reniformis field trials, a nematicide ST + (NH4)2SO4 + Vydate® C-LV at PHS supported the largest lint yield and profit per hectare at $1176. In M. incognita field trials, a nematicide ST + 28-0-0-5 + Vydate® C-LV + Max-In® Sulfur at PHS and FB supported the largest lint yields and profit per hectare at $784. These results suggest that combinations utilizing fertilizers and nematicides applied together across the season in addition to current fertility management show potential to promote yield and profit in R. reniformis and M. incognita infested cotton fields.

Molecular cloning and pharmacology of Min-UNC-49B, a GABA receptor from the southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita.

Root-knot nematodes are plant-parasitic nematodes that cause immense damage to a broad range of cultivated crops by forming root galls, resulting in yield losses in crops. To facilitate the development of faster-acting selective nematicides, we cloned three cDNAs encoding UNC-49B proteins from the southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and examined their functional and pharmacological properties by two-electrode voltage clamp electrophysiology using a Xenopus oocyte expression system. The three cloned cDNAs encoded Min-UNC-49B, Min-UNC-49B-L and Min-UNC-49B-XL; the last two proteins have longer N-terminal regions than the first protein. When expressed in Xenopus oocytes, these proteins responded to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to activate currents with high-micromolar or low-millimolar half-maximal effective concentration (EC50 ) values, indicating the formation of functional homo-pentameric GABA receptors. Fipronil and picrotoxinin inhibited GABA-induced currents with high-nanomolar and low-micromolar half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50 ) values, respectively, in oocytes expressing Min-UNC-49B. The G2'A and T6'M mutations in the second transmembrane domain of Min-UNC-49B enhanced and reduced the sensitivity of Min-UNC-49B to these two antagonists, respectively. Samaderine B and SF-14 inhibited GABA responses in oocytes expressing Min-UNC-49B with low-micromolar and high-nanomolar IC50 values, respectively. Ivermectin, α-terpineol, thymol and methyl eugenol exerted dual effects on Min-UNC-49B by potentiating currents induced by low concentrations of GABA and inhibiting currents induced by high concentrations of GABA. We have shown that structurally diverse compounds act at Min-UNC-49B GABA receptors. Our results may serve as a starting point to decipher the molecular function of native GABA receptors of plant-parasitic nematodes, which could aid in the structure-based design of novel nematicides. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Integrated management strategies of Meloidogyne incognita and Pseudopyrenochaeta lycopersici on tomato using a Bacillus firmus-based product and two synthetic nematicides in two consecutive crop cycles in greenhouse

Because of the restrictions on chemical pesticide use and their negative effects on the environment, as well as on human and animal health, alternative strategies for plant pest and pathogen managements are highly desirable. The objective of this work was to evaluate the suitability of a commercial formulation of Bacillus firmus strain 1-1582, applied either alone or in combination with oxamyl or fosthiazate, to control the southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita and the fungal plant pathogen Pseudopyrenochaeta lycopersici under greenhouse conditions during two tomato crop cycles. Application of B. firmus suppressed nematode population levels during the second crop cycle and when the treatments were repeated on soil previously amended with organic matter. In contrast, fungal infection was reduced during both crop cycles regardless of the application of organic matter. The combinations of the bioformulation and chemicals induced the lowest Root Galling Index compared to all other treatments in both crop cycles. The suppression of nematode populations levels and infection rate of the fungus induced by B. firmus alone or in combination with the chemicals was more pronounced during the second tomato crop cycle than the first crop cycle, also because the temperatures during the second crop cycle were unfavorable to the nematode development. The greatest increase in tomato yield induced by the combined treatments was observed during the second crop cycle, and it was up 50% compared to the untreated control. The applications of the bionematocide and two chemicals used in this study did not result in dramatic suppression of nematode and fungal populations. However, the application of these products alone or in combination, supplemented by organic amendment increases the yield of tomato plants compared to that of the untreated control, although the plants were infected by the pest and the pathogen. These results indicate that early spring/early fall application of B. firmus is an effective biopesticide treatment for management of the southern root-knot nematode and P. lycopersici on tomato crops growing in the integrated pest management system of this experiment and in the environmental conditions of southern Italy.

Rye Residue Levels Affect Suppression of the Southern Root-Knot Nematode in Cotton

In the southeastern U.S., rye (Secale cereale) is frequently planted as a winter cover crop in conservation tillage cotton. Although rye produces toxic benzoxazinoid compounds that might play a role in nematode suppression, it is also a host for the southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita, a major pathogen of cotton in the U.S. The objective of this study was to determine whether a high-residue rye cover crop would reduce populations of M. incognita compared to fallow soil and the standard rye cover crop. The study was conducted in a field infested with M. incognita. The experiment was repeated four times from 2012 to 2015 and was a randomized complete block design with three cover crop treatments (weedy fallow, standard rye, and high-residue rye), each replicated eight times. At mid-season of the cotton crop, nematode numbers in soil were greatest in the standard rye, lowest in the high-residue rye, and intermediate in the fallow treatment. After cotton harvest, standard rye had greater numbers of nematodes in the soil than the other cover-crop treatments. Root galling caused by M. incognita showed a similar trend as the mid-season numbers with the greatest galling in the standard rye and the lowest galling in the high-residue rye treatment. Planting high-residue rye solely for suppression of M. incognita is probably not economical. However, if farmers plant high-residue rye to improve soil structure, moisture retention, and weed control, then they could benefit also from lower populations of M. incognita.

Cis- and trans-protopinium, a novel nematicide, for the eco-friendly management of root-knot nematodes

Plant-derived nematicides are being increasingly used while select synthetic nematicides are phased out for environmental concerns. This is the first report on the in vitro nematicidal activity of cis- and trans-protopinium isolated from roots of Fumaria parviflora and its in vivo effect on the southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. Cis- and trans-protopinium was isolated from the methanolic fraction FM2.1, and its structure elucidated using 13C and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The NMR spectra were characterized using deuterated dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at temperatures of 25 and 80 °C. In an in vitro study, over 120 h of incubation, the area under cumulative percent hatch inhibition and mortality of cis- and trans-protopinium reached 100% at a concentration of 200 μg mL−1. In the greenhouse and field settings, cis- and trans-protopinium was evaluated against M. incognita on tomato at a concentration of 100, 200, and 300 μg mL−1 for two consecutive seasons, that is, spring and autumn, in 2010. At a concentration of 300 μg mL−1 in the greenhouse and field trials during spring and autumn, cis- and trans-protopinium significantly reduced the nematode galling index, the number of females per gram of root, and the reproduction factor, as well as increased plant height, fresh and dry shoot weights, and root length. Therefore, cis- and trans-protopinium can be used as an effective and safe nematicide against M. incognita on tomato in an organic and sustainable agricultural production system. Phytochemicals have various agricultural applications, especially to control economically important nematode pests.

RNA Interference-Mediated Growth Control of the Southern Root-Knot NematodeMeloidogyne incognita

The Southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita causes huge crop losses. We investigated the effects of RNA interference directed against the M. incognita posterior segregation-1 gene. The RNAi resulted in a drastic reduction in the relative amount of pos-1 transcript. Also, it reduced reproductive potential in terms of hatching rate from eggs, probably due to embryonic lethality.

First Report of Meloidogyne incognita Infecting Spinach in Southern Spain.

Severe plant yellowing and decline were recently observed in two commercial fields of spinach (Spinacia oleracea cv. Polka) in Encinarejo (Córdoba), southern Spain. Disease surveys revealed severe infections of main and feeder roots and a large soil population of the southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita. The nematode population was extracted and quantified from soil and root samples according to Barker (1) and identified by female perineal pattern, phenotype esterases, and host-differential test (3,4). M. incognita was found in 100% of soil samples and 85.7% of root samples with nematode population densities ranging from 44 to 378 eggs and second-stage juveniles (J2s) per 100 cm3 of soil and 162 to 725 eggs and J2s per 5 g of fresh roots. Infected roots showed large, regular galls on root tips and also along the main root axis and secondary feeder roots. Galling of root tips prevents further root growth into deeper soil layers and induced proliferation of secondary roots. The severe infections in roots of spinach suggest that parasitism of spinach roots by the nematode must contribute to stunting, yellowing, and decline of spinach as previously reported (2). To our knowledge, this is the first report of M. incognita infecting spinach in Spain.

Single pass cDNA sequencing - a powerful tool to analyse gene expression in preparasitic juveniles of the southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita

AbstractExpressed sequence tags (EST) have been widely used to assist in gene discovery in various organisms (e.g., Arabidopsis thaliana, Caenorhabditis elegans, Mus musculus, and Homo sapiens). In this paper we describe an EST project, which aims to investigate gene expression in Meloidogyne incognita at the onset of parasitism. Approximately 1000 5′-end sequence tags were produced from a cDNA library made of freshly hatched preparasitic second stage juveniles (J2). The EST were identified in the primary transformants of the cDNA library, and assigned to nine different functional groups, including (candidate) parasitism genes. A large fraction of the EST (45%) did not have a putative homologue in public databases. Sixty five percent of the EST that could be clustered into a functional group had putative homologues in other nematode species. EST were found for virtually all parasitism related genes that have been cloned from M. incognita to date. In addition, several novel genes were tagged, including a xylanase and a chitinase gene. The efficiency of EST projects, which produce sequence data for thousands of genes in months time without any difficult pre-selections of mRNA pools, makes random sequencing cDNA libraries a superior method to identify candidates for parasitism related genes in plant-parasitic nematodes. The sequences in this paper are retrievable from Genbank with the accession numbers BE191640 to BE191741, BE217592 to BE217720, BE225324 to BE225598, BE238852 to BE239221, and BE240829 to BE240865.

Inheritance of the resistant reaction of the lettuce cultivar `Grand Rapids' to the southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood

Resistance to the southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita Chitwood would be an important attribute of lettuce Lactuca sativa L. cultivars adapted to both protected and field cultivation in tropical regions. `Grand Rapids' and a few other cultivars are reported to be resistant to this nematode. In this paper, we studied the inheritance of the resistant reaction of `Grand Rapids' (P2) in a cross with a standard nematode-susceptible cultivar Regma-71 (P1). F1(Regina-71 × Grand Rapids) and F2 seed were obtained, and inoculated along with the parental cultivars with different races of M. incognita to evaluate nematode resistance. Broad sense heritability estimates for the number of galls and of egg masses per root system, gall size and gall index were generally in the order of 0.5 or higher. Class distributions of these variables over generations P1, P2, F1 and F2 were in agreement with simulated theoretical distributions based on monogenic inheritance models. F3 families were obtained from randomly sampled F2 plants and tested for reaction to the nematode. The frequency ratio of homozygous resistant, segregating and homozygous susceptible F3 families did not differ from the 1:2:1 ratio expected from monogenic inheritance. M. incognita resistance appears to be under control of a single gene locus. The Grand Rapids allele (for which the symbol Me is proposed) is responsible for the resistant reaction, and shows high (though incomplete) penetrance, variable expressivity and predominantly additive gene action.

Effects of the Nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) onAmmi majus

AbstractThe effect of second stage larvae of the Southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita on the growth of Ammi majus. chlorophyll and total phenolic content in leaves have been determined. With increasing inoculum densities of nematode there was a corresponding decrease in root-shoot length, fresh and dry weight of plants, total chlorophyll content and an increase in total phenolic content in leaves. The highest rate of nematode reproduction was found at the lowest inoculum level and lowest rate of nematode reproduction at the highest inoculum level.

WINTER SURVIVAL OF ROOT-KNOT NEMATODES (MELOIDOGYNE INCOGNITA AND M. HAPLA) UNDER SELECTED HOST CROPS IN SOUTHERN ONTARIO

In field experiments at Harrow, Ontario, the southern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita overwintered successfully on woody perennial roots of peach in a moderate winter, but was unable to survive a subsequent severe winter on this host. At Vineland Station, Ontario, M. incognita did not overwinter below the frost line in a moderate winter under alfalfa, a poor perennial host, but did overwinter under red clover and tomato in a severe winter, although the population was severely reduced. By comparison, the northern root-knot nematode Meloidogyne hapla survived well under all three hosts in both winters at depths from 0 to 90 cm.