Reaction of some spinach, swiss chard and table beet cultivars to the cyst nematodes Heterodera schachtii and Heterodera trifolii

Authors: IBRAHIM, KHERY - Agricultural Research Center Of Egypt; Handoo, Zafar; ZEYADAH, SABREN - Agricultural Research Center Of Egypt; KANTOR, MIHAIL - Oak Ridge Institute For Science And Education (ORISE); KAWANNA, MAHA ADELIBRAHI - Agricultural Research Center Of Egypt

Submitted to: Nematropica
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/20/2021
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Plant-parasitic nematodes are microscopic worms that feed on plants and cause an estimated ten billion dollars of crop losses each year in the United States and 100 billion dollars globally. Cyst nematodes are the most economically important groups of plant parasitic nematodes worldwide. One problem with cyst nematodes is that growers have no idea of the host range of nematodes on specific crop cultivars. In the present study, ARS and Alexandria University scientists examined the reactions of some spinach, Swiss chard and table beet cultivars to the cyst nematodes Heterodera schachtii and Heterodera trifolii in the greenhouse. Nematode infection with either H. schachtii or H. trifolii caused significant reductions in the shoot and root dry weights of the susceptible and highly susceptible spinach, table beet and Swiss chard cultivars. The results are significant because they provide the first evidence that the specific tested cultivars are resistant or susceptible to the nematode species examined. This research will be of use to scientists, growers and extension agencies involved in cyst nematode research and control.

Technical Abstract: The reactions of five spinach, four table beet and two Swiss chard cultivars to infection with the cyst nematodes Heterodera schachtii and H. trifolii were studied under greenhouse conditions. The results showed that the tested spinach (Balady, Barkly, Orient, Solanicy), table beet (Balady, Detroit Dark Red, Detroit Spainal, Asgro Wonder) and Swiss chard (Balady, Ford Hook) cultivars were susceptible or highly susceptible to H. schachtii while spinach cv. Pacific was moderately resistant to this nematode. Reactions of the tested spinach, table beet and Swiss chard cultivars to H. trifolii indicated that only spinach cv. Balady, table beet cvs. Balady and Detroit Dark Red, and Swiss chard cv. Balady were susceptible whereas the other tested cultivars showed moderately susceptible and moderately resistant reactions to this nematode. Nematode infection with either H. schachtii or H. trifolii caused significant reductions in the shoot and root dry weights of the susceptible and highly susceptible spinach, table beet and Swiss chard cultivars.