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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Fort Pierce, Florida » U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory » Subtropical Plant Pathology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #254048
Title: Evaluation of soil treatments for control of Meloidogyne Arenaria in caladium tubers (Caladium × Hortulanum) and nematode susceptibility of selected cultivars

Author
item Burelle, Nancy
item Rosskopf, Erin
item HARTMAN, ROBERT - Classic Caladiums

Submitted to: Nematropica
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/20/2010
Publication Date: 7/20/2010
Citation: Burelle, N.K., Rosskopf, E.N., Hartman, R.D. 2010. Evaluation of soil treatments for control of Meloidogyne Arenaria in caladium tubers (Caladium × Hortulanum) and nematode susceptibility of selected cultivars. Nematropica. 40(2):177-189.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Field and greenhouse studies were conducted to assess the effectiveness of soil fumigants for control of Meloidogyne arenaria on harvested caladium (Caladium × hortulanum) tubers, to determine the susceptibility of five commonly grown caladium cultivars to M. arenaria, and to evaluate effects of fumigation of previously uncultivated land on caladium production. In the fumigant effectiveness study, root condition was better and gall ratings were lower on caladium and tomato indicator plants for Paladin than for several Telone treatments and the untreated control. Of the two cultivars planted in the fumigant study, galling and M. arenaria J2 isolated from roots were both higher in ‘White Delight’ than ‘Moonlight’. Evaluation of additional cultivars for susceptibility to M. arenaria showed that the standard hot water treatment employed by the grower following harvest was equally effective in disinfesting all caladium cultivars tested, with low numbers of viable root-knot nematode juveniles isolated from tubers following hot water seed treatment. Fumigation of previously fallow land with methyl bromide compared to nonfumigated land in the same field resulted in caladium shoot weights and root weights that were greater in methyl bromide treated soil than in untreated soil. However, root health was better in untreated soil, with no differences in galling or nematodes isolated from roots in the methyl bromide treated soil compared to the untreated soil. Galling on weeds was lower in untreated soil compared with methyl bromide fumigated soil.