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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #385522
Research Project: Development of Knowledge-based Approaches for Disease Management in Small Fruit and Nursery Crops

Location: Horticultural Crops Disease and Pest Management Research Unit

Title: Irrigation and rootstocks to manage northern root-knot nematode during wine grape vineyard establishment

Author
item East, Katherine
item Zasada, Inga
item Schreiner, Roger
item MOYER, MICHELLE - Washington State University

Submitted to: Plant Health Progress
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/17/2021
Publication Date: 12/23/2021
Citation: East, K.E., Zasada, I.A., Schreiner, R.P., Moyer, M.M. 2021. Irrigation and rootstocks to manage northern root-knot nematode during wine grape vineyard establishment. Plant Health Progress. 23(1):49-56. https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-06-21-0097-RS.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/PHP-06-21-0097-RS

Interpretive Summary: Plant-parasitic nematodes, microscopic roundworms, feed on the roots of grapevines and can reduce vine productivity. These pests are difficult to control and new control methods are needed. Research was conducted to determine if modifying how much water is applied (irrigation) to a vineyard or the use of different rootstocks could reduce numbers of the root-knot nematode. Modifying irrigation practices did not reduce the number of nematodes in grape roots. However, growing rootstocks was an effective way to control the root-knot nematode. These findings will be used by grape growers to aid in plant selection at planting as a way to minimize the impact of nematodes on vine productivity.

Technical Abstract: Vineyard replanting in Washington state can be negatively impacted by the plant-parasitic nematode Meloidogyne hapla. Chemically-focused nematode management programs do not offer long-term suppression, however, this may be achieved through the adoption of cultural approaches such as rootstocks and irrigation. Nematode-resistant rootstocks are used extensively in other regions, but many have not been tested against M. hapla. Vineyards in eastern Washington are irrigated, so manipulating available soil water may also impact nematode development. In 2017, two field trials were established in eastern Washington to evaluate the effects of: 1) late-summer water limitation on M. hapla population development, and 2) host status of 1103 Paulsen, 3309 Couderc and Matador rootstocks for M. hapla. Both trials evaluated the efficacy of these culture management approaches under three initial M. hapla densities (0, 50, and 250 M. hapla J2 per 250 g soil). Reducing irrigation to manage M. hapla infestation of grape roots was ineffective, and may cause harm to the vines by inducing too much water stress. Conversely, rootstocks effectively reduced population densities of M. hapla. Overall, rootstocks show the most promise as a cultural tool to manage M. hapla during the establishment phase in Washington vineyards.