Host status of rotation crops in Asian rice-based cropping systems to the rice root-knot nematode Meloidogyne graminicola

Abstract

Rotation with nonhost crops is an important practice used for root-knot nematode (RKN) management. Screenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate the response infection of 27 cultivars belonging to 14 crops (blackgram, cabbage, cauliflower, chickpea, cowpea, garlic, ginger, greengram, groundnut, maize, potato, sesame, soybean, sunflower), which are grown in rotation with rice in lowland and upland rice-based ecosystems, to the RKN Meloidogyne graminicola. Root galling indices observed on all crop rotation cultivars were significantly lower compared with the rice cv. Thihtatyin, used as positive control. Differences in host response to M. graminicola infection were observed between cultivars. All 27 cultivars were poor or non-hosts of M. graminicola, except cv. Yezin 4 of chickpea considered as good host. No significant differences in plant growth were observed between non-inoculated and inoculated plants of all plant/species cultivars, with the exception of a reduction in root length in the chickpea cv. Yezin 4 (good host) and the garlic cv. Shan (poor host). Rotation crops identified as poor or non-hosts of M. graminicola could be useful in the management of RKN in rice-based cropping systems.