Host Status of Cultivated Crops to Meloidogyne luci

Abstract

The root-knot nematode Meloidogyne luci generates serious damages on economically important crops. However, the knowledge on host status of cultivated plants to this nematode species is highly limited. In this study, 71 cultivars of 43 plant species and varieties from Alliaceae, Apiaceae, Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Compositae, Cucurbitaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Poaceae, Rosaceae and Solanaceae families were screened for their host status to an isolate of M. luci in pot assays under controlled greenhouse conditions. Host status of plant cultivars was determined based on nematode reproduction factor. Of the tested cultivars, five cultivars were identified as non-hosts (Rf = 0), 20 cultivars as poor hosts (0 < Rf < 1), 25 cultivars as good hosts (1 <= Rf < 10) and 21 cultivars as excellent hosts (Rf >= 10). Strawberry cv. Sweet Ann, cotton cv. SC 2079, garlic cv. Taskopru, soybean cv. Arisoy and oat cv. Even were classified as non-hosts. Although carrot cv. Nantes Scarlet, melon cv. Ananas, leek cv. Bt Hotanli 016 and onion cv. Bt Depocu were considered as poor hosts, no nematode reproduction was detected on some replicates of these cultivars. Furthermore, the response of 15 cultivars selected from non-hosts or poor hosts to Mi-virulent isolate of M. luci was also evaluated. Of non-host cultivars tested, garlic and strawberry did not allow nematode reproduction while soybean cv. Arisoy provided a good host (Rf = 4.13) for Mi-virulent isolate of M. luci. The poor-host status of 9 cultivars, representing arugula, broccoli, carrot, kale, maize, melon and watermelon, did not change with the tested isolates of M. luci (0.01 <= Rf <= 0.58). Non-host to poor host cultivars to both isolates of M. luci have potential for nematode suppression in crop rotations.