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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Tifton, Georgia » Crop Protection and Management Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #304234
Title: Effect of simultaneous water deficit stress and Meloidogyne incognita infection on cotton yield and fiber quality

Author
item Davis, Richard
item EARL, HUGH - University Of Georgia
item Timper, Patricia - Patty

Submitted to: Journal of Nematology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/21/2014
Publication Date: 7/7/2014
Citation: Davis, R.F., Earl, H.J., Timper, P. 2014. Effect of simultaneous water deficit stress and Meloidogyne incognita infection on cotton yield and fiber quality. Journal of Nematology. 46:108-118.

Interpretive Summary: Drought stress and root-knot nematode infection reduce cotton yield. Drought affects fiber quality, but nematode effects on quality are not known. To determine whether nematodes affect quality and whether the combined effects of nematodes and drought on yield and quality are independent, a seven year study was conducted in a field infested with the cotton root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita. An experimental design was used that included three irrigation treatments (non-irrigated, moderate irrigation, and water-replete) with both fumigated and non-fumigated plots so we could measure how drought stress and nematode stress interacted. We prevented water deficit stress in water-replete plots by supplementing rainfall with irrigation. Moderate irrigation plots received half the water applied to water-replete plots. Root galling was greater in non-fumigated plots and in plots receiving the least irrigation, but irrigation did not influence the effect of fumigation on root galling. Lint and seed harvests were reduced in non-fumigated plots and also decreased as the level of irrigation decreased, but irrigation did not influence the effect of fumigation. Nematodes increased micronaire (an important measure of fiber quality) but typically had no effect on other fiber quality elements. Micronaire also was increased by water deficit stress, but the effects from nematodes and water stress were independent. We conclude that the effects of nematode parasitism and water deficit stress on cotton are independent and therefore additive.

Technical Abstract: Drought stress and Meloidogyne incognita infection reduce cotton yield. Drought affects fiber quality, but nematode effects on quality are not known. To determine whether nematodes affect quality and whether the combined effects of nematodes and drought on yield and quality are independent, a seven year study was conducted in a field infested with M. incognita. A split-plot design was used with the main plot factor as one of three irrigation treatments (non-irrigated, moderate irrigation, and water-replete) and the sub-plot factor as 0 or 56 l/ha 1,3-dichloropropene. We prevented water deficit stress in water-replete plots by supplementing rainfall with irrigation. Moderate irrigation plots received half the water applied to water-replete plots. Root galling was greater in non-fumigated plots and in plots receiving the least irrigation, but irrigation did not influence the effect of fumigation on root galling (no irrigation×fumigation interaction). Lint and seed harvests were reduced in non-fumigated plots and also decreased as the level of irrigation decreased, but irrigation did not influence the effect of fumigation. Nematodes increased micronaire but typically had no effect on other fiber quality elements. Micronaire also was increased by water deficit stress, but the effects from nematodes and water stress were independent. We conclude that the effects of nematode parasitism and water deficit stress on cotton are independent and therefore additive.