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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Griffin, Georgia » Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #123633
Title: SPECIAL-PURPOSE LEGUMES AS POTENTIAL SOIL AMENDMENTS FOR NEMATODE CONTROL

Author
item Morris, John - Brad
item WALKER, J - UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA

Submitted to: Journal of Nematology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/6/2001
Publication Date: 12/15/2002
Citation: Morris, J.B., Walker, J.T. 2002. Special-purpose legumes as potential soil amendments for nematode control. Journal of Nematology. Non-Traditional Legumes as Potential Soil Amendments for Nematode Control. Journal of Nematology 34:358-361, Morris, J.B. and J.T. Walker, 2002.

Interpretive Summary: Root knot nematodes have caused devastating damage to crops in the southern United States. Many legumes curated at the USDA, ARS, Plant Genetic Resources Conservation Unit have additional value such as natural pesticide use and until recently have not received much attention devoted to research into these new uses. This study was conducted to provide valuable information regarding pesticidal activity from legume species and we did discover several legumes as soil amendments for control of plant parasitic nematodes. Nematodes cause millions of dollars in damage to crops. This research will provide farmers with added information to combat root-knot nematodes and will provide industry with possible biological control agents for fighting these pests.

Technical Abstract: The public's concerns over environmental issues associated with commercial pesticides has stimulated research on biological control of plant pathogens and pests using legumes. The production of semi-tropical legumes at the US Plant Genetic Resources Cons. Unit (Griffin, GA) led us to investigate their activity as soil amendments against root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne Incogni Plant tissue of Aeschynomene spp., Canavalia spp., Crotalaria spp., Indigo spp., Leucaena spp., Rhynchosia spp., Senna spp., Sesbania spp, and Tephros spp. were mixed separately at 1, 2, and 5% (w/w) with soil containing 6,000 nematode eggs per kg. Nematicidal activity was determined two months after planting susceptible tomato. The tissues which were most effective in reducing root-knot nematodes were Canavalia ensiformis, Crotalaria retusa, Indigofera hirsuta, I. nummularifolia, I. spicata, I. suffruticosa, I. tinctoria, and Tephrosia adunca. Special-purpose legumes may hold promise "natural value added" compounds or as green manure crops for nematode cont.