ACCESSION NO: 0198858 SUBFILE: CRIS
PROJ NO: LAB93674 AGENCY: CSREES LA.B
PROJ TYPE: HATCH PROJ STATUS: NEW
START: 01 OCT 2003 TERM: 30 SEP 2008 FY: 2004
INVESTIGATOR: McGawley, E. C.
PERFORMING INSTITUTION:
PLANT PATHOLOGY & CROP PHYSIOLOGY
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA 70893
Identification, Biology and Management of Agriculturally Important Plant Parasitic Nematodes
NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: Losses caused by plant-parasitic nematodes average 7% to 10%, an estimate that translates into tens of millions of dollars. The economics of production demands the development of more accurate means of forecasting nematode damage, evaluating the impact of pest complexes and formulating management tactics that are compatible with changing production system technology. This project evaluates the impact of plant parasitic nematodes in agriculture in Louisiana. The purpose of this project is to formulate methods to minimize nematode-related crop losses.
OBJECTIVES: To identify genera, species and races of plant parasitic nematodes which parasitize crops important in Louisiana agriculture. To evaluate the interrelationship of plant parasitic nematodes with other plant pests. To investigate management tactics useful in minimizing nematode-related crop losses.
APPROACH: The economics of production today and tomorrow demands the development of more accurate means of forecasting nematode damage, evaluating the impact of agricultural pest complexes, and formulating pathogen management tactics which are compatible with changing cropping preferences, production system technology and environmental concerns. Research activities in nematology in the LSU AgCenter are clustered around three objectives that address the dual obligation of service to the scientific and agricultural production communities. Laboratory activities include microscopic observation, measurement and electrophoresis studies of phytonematode specimens for the purpose of species identification and greenhouse tests for the purpose of race identification. Once identification is completed, other greenhouse and microplot studies are conducted to evaluate pathogenicity, to determine damage thresholds and to assess interactivity with other pests. Current and planned activities that relate to the investigation of management tactics to minimize nematode-related crop losses include: field evaluations of the efficacy of recommended and reduced rates of nematicides on cotton, soybean and sugarcane; field, microplot and greenhouse cultivar screening tests with cotton, soybean and sugarcane; and, greenhouse, microplot and field evaluations of the new potential nematicides.
PROGRESS: 2004/01 TO 2004/12
In 2004, seventeen treatments, eleven involving individual or combined experimental nematicides from Cal-Agri Products of Los Angeles, California and six types of controls were used in microplot trials with 'Patio' tomato, 'Keystone' bell pepper, 'Dasher II' cucumber, 'NuCotton 33B' cotton and 'Cocodrie' rice. In all trials, the experimental compound Agri-Terra was used at a rate equivalent to ten gallons per acre and applied 30 minutes before planting (04/23/2004 for vegetables and 05/03/2004 for cotton and rice) at a dilution of 99 parts water to one part Agri-Terra (a 1% solution). Three additional materials, labeled as 'new compounds' one, two and three, were evaluated alone as a preplant treatment (same rate and dilution as that used for Agri-Terra) and in combination with Agri-Terra as a mid-season (06/09/2004 for vegetables and 08/06/2004 for cotton and rice) 1% soil additive or as a 300:1 foliar spray applied to 'drip-off' (approximately 200 milliliters per plant). Fertilization and pesticide usage employed were those typical in Louisiana for each of the five crops. Microplots in each area were arranged in a randomized block design with five to six replications. Relative to the nematode inoculated control, the application of Agri-Terra at planting produced significant increases in root weight, top weight, plant weight, the number of tomatoes harvested and the cumulative and average fruit weights. Additionally, the preplant treatment with Agri-Terra resulted in a significant reduction that averaged about 71%, in the nematode population in the soil. Harvest data for the microplot trial with cucumber showed that the application of Agri-Terra at planting produced significant increases in root, top and plant weights as well as reductions in nematode populations that averaged 61%. The cucumber yield across six harvests following treatment with a single preplant application of Agri-Terra was more than triple that of the non-treated, root-knot nematode inoculated control. Harvest data for the microplot trial with pepper paralleled that obtained for tomato and cucumber. That is, there was a significant increase in all growth parameters and in the cumulative and average fruit yields across harvest intervals following a single preplant application of Agri-Terra. As has been observed each year for the past four years with cotton, a single preplant treatment with Agri-Terra provided a significant growth response relative to the nematode inoculated control; greater even than the complete 'no nematode and no chemical' control. Highly significant reductions in reniform nematode populations also were observed. The only significant growth responses found at harvest in the rice microplot trial was an increase in root weight following the application of Agri-Terra. This material also produced a 92% reduction in the numbers of nematodes in soil. The three new compounds that were included in these trials proved to have little, if any, ability to enhance either plant growth and yield or nematode control alone or in combination with Agri-Terra.
IMPACT: 2004/01 TO 2004/12
Nematicides are the least desirable, but most frequently employed, method of managing plant parasitic nematodes. The most efficacious nematicides, such as methyl bromide, are harmful to the environment, and many will soon be unlawful to use. The development and registration of an environmentally friendly material for control of plant parasitic nematodes will be of great benefit to agriculture. Agri-Terra, a new material developed by Cal-Agri Products, LLC of Los Angeles, California, and tested in the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center over the past five years, appears to fit these efficacy and environmental criteria.
PUBLICATIONS: 2004/01 TO 2004/12
No publications reported this period
PROJECT CONTACT:
Name: McGawley, E. C.
Phone: 225-578-7145
Fax: 225-578-1415
E-mail