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 The Sting
nematode is an important pathogen on most agricultural and horticultural
crops, including turf, citrus and grapes.
This ectoparasite is native to sandy soils in the southeastern and
Midwestern United States. In 1992,
University of California nematologists
discovered that several golf courses in the Coachella Valley were heavily
infested with sting nematodes. The
warm climate, irrigated sandy soils of California inland deserts and the
ability of the nematode to feed on a very wide range of hosts offer ideal
conditions for rapid multiplication and spread of the invasive pathogen.
Like
all plant parasitic nematodes, B.
longicaudatus feeds by puncturing plant cells with a mouth stylet
and withdrawing cell contents. It
does not enter the roots but attacks from the outside, mainly near the root
tip. Feeding can damage the
meristematic cells of the plant that then causes stunting of the roots. Also, feeding wounds are often points of
entry for disease-causing microorganisms which otherwise would not be able to
enter healthy plant tissues. These
secondary infections increase the stress on the plants and can accelerate
cell and root death. Above-ground
disease symptoms generally resemble
those associated with plant drought stress and nutritional deficiency such as
stunted growth and leaf chlorosis followed by die back and death.
The
sting nematode is considered one of the most damaging of all plant parasitic
nematodes. Yield and quality
reductions in many agricultural crops can be so severe that it may result in
a complete loss. Spread of this
nematode in California would have
disastrous impact on the turf and agricultural industries with additional
negative effects on the tourism and recreation.
Surveys by the state, county and
university revealed the presence of the sting nematode in several golf
courses and home lawns. All
infestation sites thus far were in the Rancho Mirage area. In order to limit the potential spread of B. longicaudatus, all known infested
sites are subject to state and county enforced compliance agreements. Soil and plant residues from nematode
infested areas may not be discarded without approved treatment.
REFERENCES:
Commonwealth
Institute of Helminthology.
1974. Description of plant-parasitic nematodes, Set 3 (40): 1974.
Crow,
W. T., D. W. Dickson, D. P.
Weingartner, R. McSorley &
G. L. Miller. 2000.
Yield Reduction and Root Damage to Cotton Induced by Belonolaimus longicaudatus. Journal of Nematology. June, 32 (2): 205–209.
Crow,
W. T., D. P. Weingartner, R. McSorley
& D. W. Dickson.
2000. Population dynamics of Belonolaimus longicaudatus in a cotton
production system. Journal of
Nematology 32: 210–214.
Crow,
W. T. & H. R. Han. 2005. Sting
nematode. The Plant Health Instructor, 2005.
Duncan,
L. W, Noling J. W., R. N.
Inserra & D. Dunn.
1996. Spatial Patterns of Belonolaimus spp. Among and Within
Citrus Orchardson Florida's Central Ridge.
Journal of Nematology, 28 (3):
352–359.
Huang, X. &
J. O. Becker. 1997. Invitro culture and feeding behavior of Belonolaimus Iongicaudatus on excised Zea mays roots. Journal
of Nematology. 29 (3): 411–415.
Huang, X. & J. O. Becker. 1999. Lifecycle and mating behavior of Belonolaimus longicaudatus in
gnotobiotic culture. Journal of Nematology 31: 70–74.
Luc
J. E., W. T. Crow, R. McSorley & R. M. Giblin-Davis. 2010.
Suppression of Belonolaimus
longicaudatus with in vitro-produced Pasteuria sp. endospores.
Nematropica. 2010 (40): 217–225.
Noling,
J. W. 2012. Nematode management in strawberries. Entomology & Nematology Department,
Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences, University of Florida.
Perry,
V. G. & H. Rhoades. 1982.
The genus Belonolaimus.
pp. 144–149 in R.D. Riggs ed., Nematology
in the Southern Region of the United States. Southern Cooperative Series Bulletin 276. Fayetteville, AR:
University of Arkansas Agricultural Publications.
Rau, G. J. 1958. A new species of sting nematode. Proceedings
of the Helminthological Society of Washington. 25: 95–98.
Robbins,
R. T. & K. R. Barker. 1973. Comparisons of host range and reproduction
among populations of Belonolaimus
longicaudatus from North Carolina and Georgia. The
Plant Disease Reporter. 57:
750–754.
Robbins,
R. T. & K. R. Barker. 1974. The effects of soil type, particle size,
temperature, and moisture on reproduction of Belonolaimus
longicaudatus. Journal of Nematology 6: 1–6.
Rosskopf,
E. N., D. O. Chellemi, N. Kokalis-Burelle & G. T. Church. 2005.
Alternatives to Methyl bromide: A Florida Perspective. Plant
Health Progress, American
Phytopathological Society, 2005.
Steiner,
G. 1949. Plant nematodes the grower should know. Soil Science Society of Florida, Proceeding. 4-B: 72–117.
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