How to Fight Root Knot Nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita)

By Matt Gibson & Erin Marissa Russell

The microscopical pest bonk as origin naut mi nematode worm are tiny worm - like tool that dwell within the soil and run through through the base systems of many garden plants . The feeding make unsightly galls , or knots to make on the beginning , which is where the plague gets its name . Root knot nematodes are one of several species of Meloidogyne and are also unremarkably call the southern root - air mile nematode .

Some of the yield and vegetable harvest that are known to abide austere damage from antecedent knot nematode infestation are sweet white potato , Indian corn , pepper works , okra , onions , cantaloupe , autumn pumpkin , attic , pea , tomatoes , watermelons , garden egg , carrots , beets , loot , potato , daikon , and squash . Root knot nematode also affect ornamental plants and several fruit trees . The pests are also know to feed on and place eggs on a wide-cut salmagundi of garden weeds , though infested weed are seldom severely affected by their front .

root knot nematodes

distaff nematodes can lay up of 500 eggs at a time , allowing the plague to multiply and turn mild issues into severe infestations in a affair of days . Though the pests are improbably small , large dependency of roundworm can make life-threatening root damage due to the large loudness of nematodes feeding on the roots throughout the entire summertime .

Root knot roundworm tend to be more prejudicial in sandy soil conditions . preventive method are essential to fend off root greyback nematode in many pillowcase , as the little eel - like worms are quite difficult to treat once infestations have taken station . Controlling root - knot roundworm can be especially challenging , as the pestilence spread out their grasp from one garden to the next by jaunt through the soil , and are carried from one garden to the next on peter , shoes , or on infected flora .

radical international nautical mile nematodes are not the only nematode species that can make havoc in rest home garden and landscapes , including the ring nematode species , root lesion nematodes , sugarbeet cyst nematodes , citrus nematodes , theme and medulla nematodes , and more . stem greyback nematodes , however , are by far the most destructive garden nematode . They pass the bulk of their life sentence bicycle fertilize on various flora roots . grave contagion can run to reduced yields and unsellable crops due to stunted works ontogeny .

marigold resistance to root know nematodes

The severeness of root gnarl nematode plague count on the denseness of the nematode population , the nematode metal money and the host flora ’s metal money and cultivar . gravid nematode populations typically lead to larger knots , or saddle sore . The northerly antecedent - international nautical mile nematode ( M. hapla ) produces much smaller bile than the southern root - grayback nematode ( M. incognita ) , which produce gall that are double the size of its northern first cousin . The more nematodes that are present in the garden , the more cheekiness that occur on each plant life . The amount of nematodes in the country also increases the size of the galls on the septic plant life ’s beginning .

How to Identify Root Knot Nematodes

The first symptoms you may point out are plants that are underperforming . Not every works will react to infections in the same way and not all plant will be wound in the same manner . Some will be more affected than others . symptom include yellow leaves , stunted growth , wilt during the hottest character of the good afternoon and bouncing back in the evening , plants create less fruit , works producing lowly fruit , and general underperformance . These symptoms usually come out during the summertime as the plant grow large .

To confirm misgiving of root knot infestations , labor up a span of the works that are not arise well and examine their roots . If the tooth root appear knotted , but show no signs of hogwash , match a few other industrial plant that appear to be suffering . In many case , knotted roots , or root incubate in galls , will also show signs of putrefaction . If you tell apart gnarled root and mark of rotting , it ’s a safe stake that ascendent knot nematode worm are the culprit .

For just $ 10 you could get a diagnosis from the county extension office in your region , as well as a recommend treatment program to help you rid your garden of these invading roundworms . To check your plants for infection with your county Extension service , just put a few disgusted plants and a quart of soil from the area where you pull up the struggling plant into a formative purse . Tie the bag to keep the filth and solution system from dry up and keep the bag in a nerveless , dark location until you’re able to add it to your county extension phone building . Take aid not to expose the bagful to direct sunlight for any period of time , as the sunlight will cook the nematode and kill them before you are able-bodied to get a diagnosing .

The Extension agent sends the plants and soil sample to a Nematode symptomatic Lab for an check which will bring out whether or not nematodes are the issue . The lab technician will order you if nematodes are causing the trouble you are see and give you some experienced advice on how to handle the issue , if nematode worm are indeed the cause .

How to Prevent Root Knot Nematodes

As they say , an ounce of bar is worth a pounding of cure , and root knot nematodes are no exception . The prevention bill we outline here will help relieve your mind because you ’ll know your risk of facing an army of root knot nematodes has been drastically reduced . familiarise yourself with these best practices , prefer the ones that make the most sense for your garden ( and select as many as potential ) , and your garden will be ready to stave off root knot nematodes as much as is realistically possible .

How to Treat Root Knot Nematodes

Sometimes radical mile nematode are destined to strike regardless of how vigilantly a nurseryman has work to prevent them . If this hap to you , you should be able to catch the problem before too much wrong has been done because you ’ve already learned how to name the symptom of infection . ( And you ’ve been doing veritable impediment to catch those signs as soon as they appear , correct ? ) Should root mi nematodes strike your garden , here ’s what you may do to put a stop to the invasion .

Studies have show just results when vulnerable harvest are precede with the African marigold cultivars Crackerjack(Tagetes erecta ‘ Crackerjack’)and Flor de Muerto(Tagetes erecta ‘ Flor de Muerto’)or the Gallic marigold mintage Bonita Mixed(Tagetes patula ‘ Bonita Mixed’),Gypsy Sunshine(Tagetes patula ‘ G’),Lemon Drop(Tagetes patula ‘ Lemon Drop’),Scarlet Sophia(Tagetes patula ‘ Tangerine’),Single Gold — which is sell under the commercial-grade name : Nema - Gone — Tangerine(Tagetes patula ‘ Tangerine ’ ) . The dwarf varieties of Gallic marigold Petite Gold(Tageted patula ‘ Petite Gold ’ ) or Petite Harmony(Tagetes patula ‘ Petite Harmony’)are also proven to be ripe choices .

bunch marigolds where the greatest numbers of nematodes have been spotted ( or where the most severe nematode damage was sustained ) , or you may select to plant swaths of marigolds several infantry wide that stretch across the entire garden . check that the marigold are arranged so they create a solid mass , with no more than seven inches of elbow room in between plants . Let them grow for at least two months , then boil them into the territory with your tiller when you mow them down . As long as you ’re struggling with nematode issues , it ’s a good approximation to set marigolds every other year .

Plants Varieties Resistant to Root Knot Nematodes

There are chemical control measures available to fend off etymon knot nematodes , but those reduce populations of beneficial pollinators as well , and many gardeners prefer not to use them for a spectrum of reasons . If you ’re learn your plants cautiously for symptoms of origin knot nematode worm so you could jump into action once you spot the signs , your treatment should begin before the nematodes can do too much terms . quick diagnosis leads to less knockout plague , and in guinea pig like those , the biologic and cultural method of bar and treatment we ’ve outlined in this article should serve to put a stop to the theme knot nematode encroachment .