Southern Root-Knot Nematode of Cotton
Published: 08/29/2023
The southern root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, is a major threat to crop production due to its wide host range affecting crops such as corn, cotton, grain sorghum, soybean, and many weed species. It is prevalent in most cotton-growing states, except Kansas, and causes root galls below ground and aboveground symptoms resembling nutrient deficiencies and wilting. This nematode thrives in sandy soils and tends to form aggregated populations throughout the field.
Southern root-knot nematode galling.
Travis Faske
Southern root-knot nematode on an older plant.
Travis Faske
To manage M. incognita, strategies such as using resistant cotton cultivars, employing nematicides, and implementing crop rotation are essential. While certain crops (e.g., peanut and sesame) are considered non-hosts, rotation to these crops is unlikely to completely eradicate the nematode population for subsequent cotton crops.
Written and reviewed by Travis Faske, University of Arkansas and Tristan Watson, Louisiana State University.
Galling on roots caused by southern root-knot nematode. Image by Travis Faske.
Southern root-knot nematode on an older plant. Image by Travis Faske.
Root-knot nematode on roots. Image by Travis Faske.
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