Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #164805
Title: PLANT-PARASITIC NEMATODES ASSOCIATED WITH HORSERADISH IN ILLINOIS

Author
item WALTERS, S - SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIV
item BOND, J - SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIV
item BABADOOST, M - UNIV ILLINOIS, URBANA
item EDWARDS, D - UNIV ILLINOIS, URBANA
item Handoo, Zafar

Submitted to: Nematropica
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/21/2004
Publication Date: 11/21/2004
Citation: Walters, S.A., Bond, J.P., Babadoost, M., Edwards, D.I., Handoo, Z.A. 2004. Plant-parasitic nematodes associated with horseradish in illinois. Nematropica 34:191-197.

Interpretive Summary: Nematodes are microscopic worms that cause an estimated 10 billion dollars of crop losses each year in the United States. One problem with determining the extent of nematode damage to crop plants is that the nematodes present in many areas are not known, such as in the case of horseradish fields in Illinois. Therefore, scientists from ARS, Southern Illinois University, and the University of Illinois surveyed horseradish fields in Illinois to determine the numbers of economically important nematode species present. This research revealed the presence of 12 economically important species of plant nematodes; spiral, lesion, stunt and dagger nematodes were the most frequently encountered groups. The results are significant because one of these species is reported in Illinois for the first time. This research will be used by extension personnel to aid growers in planning cropping systems involving horseradish, and by researchers planning future research on the management of nematodes of horseradish.

Technical Abstract: Eight genera of plant-parasitic nematodes (with seven identified to species) were identified from horseradish production fields in Illinois over the 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2003 growing seasons and included Helicotylenchus pseudorobustus, Hoplolaimus galeatus, Meloidogyne spp., Paratylenchus projectus, Pratylenchus sefaensis, Quinisulcius acutus, Tylenchorhynchus annulatus and Xiphinema americanum. P. Sefaensis is reported in Illinois for the first time. H. pseudorobustus, P. sefaensis, T. annulatus and X. americanum are the most prevalent plant-parasitic nematodes associated with horseradish in southern Illinois at the present time, as these nematodes respectively occurred in 70%, 63%, 56%, and 39% of the samples collected from the horseradish fields during the four growing seasons. Other nematode genera identified were insignificant in most instances, usually occurring in low population densities. There are no established damage threshold levels for plant-parasitic nematodes in horseradish, but it appears that population densities are currently not high enough to be considered a threat to horseradish production in Illinois.