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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Byron, Georgia » Fruit and Tree Nut Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #136623
Title: Guardian rootstock is acceptable for South Georgia and other lower Southeastern sandy soils

Author
item Nyczepir, Andrew

Submitted to: Southeastern Regional Peach Newsletter
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/3/2002
Publication Date: 3/1/2002
Citation: Nyczepir, A.P. 2002. Guardian rootstock is acceptable for South Georgia and other lower Southeastern sandy soils. Southeastern Regional Peach Newsletter. 2(1):1.

Interpretive Summary: Root-knot nematodes are important pests of peach in the United States and other parts of the world if not controlled. Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica are the predominant species on peach. Nemaguard peach rootstock is resistant to these two nematode species, but planting Nemaguard on orchard sites infested with both Meloidogyne sp. and ring nematode has proven to be futile for the peach industry in the Southeast. Lovell rootstock is recommended in situations where both root-knot and ring nematodes occur, even though Lovell is susceptible to root-knot nematode. Finding a rootstock superior to Lovell that survives on peach tree short life sites, induced by ring nematode, and also is root-knot nematode resistant would be of great value to the peach industry throughout the Southeast. Such a rootstock (Guardian), was identified in 1991, as providing greater peach tree short life tree survival than Lovell. Unfortunately, grower demand has resulted in commercial release of Guardian before all root-knot nematode evaluation testing had been examined critically. Current studies indicate that Guardian was not a suitable host to M. incognita and M. javanica. This information provides useful insights into the potential utilization of Guardian rootstock in peach orchards infested with root-knot nematode species commonly found in the Southeast.

Technical Abstract: Guardian peach rootstock was evaluated for susceptibility to Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica in the greenhouse. Guardian proved to be poor hosts to both root-knot nematode species. Reproduction as indicated by number of egg masses and eggs per plant, eggs per egg mass, and eggs per gram of root was a better measure of host resistance than number of root galls per plant.