Ring nematode causes substantial damage to woody perennial crops in California. There is a critical need to develop nonchemical methods of control for this nematode. Development of resistant rootstocks, for example, is hindered because there appear to be population variants which have not been distinguishable by traditional microscopic analysis. A multi-disciplinary approach to studying this problem that involves host-range testing, sophisticated video morphology screening, database analysis, and development of molecular identification techniques is proposed.

Source of support

UC Division of Agricultural and Natural Resources

Duration

July 1st 2002 - June 30th 2004

Project team

• Paul De Ley
• Irma Tandingan De Ley
• Howard Ferris
• Isgouhi Kaloshian
• Michael McKenry
• Becky B. Westerdahl
• Valerie M. Williamson

Links

• Information on Mesocriconema xenoplax in Howard Ferris' NEMAPLEX website
• Information on ring nematodes at the Integrated Pest Management on Peppermint website
• Search for xenoplax in the UC IPM website

 

The grapevine in the foreground has susceptible rootstock and a generally aggressively reproducing ring nematode population; the plant in the background has more resistant rootstock as well as a usually more slowly reproducing nematode strain