Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Minutes 2007 Annual Meeting of NE-1019 Project No. and Title: NE-1019 Alternative Management Systems for Plant-Parasitic Nematodes in Horticultural and Field Crops Location and Date: Mystic, Connecticut 4 to 5 October 2007 Participants " Magnarelli, Louis (Louis.Magnarelli@po.state.ct.us)  Connecticut Agric. Exp. Station " Abawi, George (Gsa1@nysaes.cornell.edu)  Cornell University, Geneva, NY " Bernard, Ernest (ecbernard@mail.ag.utk.edu)  University of Tennessee " Bird, George (birdg@msu.edu)  Michigan State University " Burelle, Nancy (NBurelle@ushrl.ars.usda.gov)  USDA ARS, Florida " Dickson, Don, Secretary (dwd@ifas.ufl.edu)  University of Florida " Green, James, CSREES Advisor  USDA CSREES, Washington, DC " Halbrendt, John (Jmh23@psu.edu)  Penn State University, Fruit Res & Ed Ctr " Huettel, Robin (Huettro@auburn.edu)  Auburn University " Kotcon, Jim (Jkotcon@wvu.edu)  West Virginia University " LaMondia, Jim (James.LaMondia@po.state.ct.us)  Connecticut Agric. Exp. Station " Meyer, Susan (meyerf@ba.ars.usda.gov)  USDA ARS, Beltsville, MD " Mitkowski, Nathaniel (mitkowski@uri.edu)  University of Rhode Island " Preston, James (Jpreston@ufl.edu)  University of Florida " Thies, Judy (jthies@saa.ars.usda.gov)  USDA ARS, Charleston, SC " Wick, Robert (rwick@pltpath.umass.edu)  University of Massachusetts " Zasada, Inga, Chair (Zasadai@ba.ars.usda.gov)  USDA ARS, Beltsville, MD Members and others who attended meeting included Louis Magnarelli, George Abawi, George Bird, Janete Brito, Don Dickson, Beth Gugino, John Halbrendt, Robin Huettel, Jim Kotcon, Jim LaMondia, Nathaniel Mitkowski, Robert Wick. Thursday morning 4 October 2007 Jim LaMondia and Louis Magnarelli welcomed the group to Mystic, Connecticut. The meeting was called to order by Jim LaMondia, interim chair. The meeting agenda was approved with Don Dickson serving as recording secretary. Louis Magnarelli, administrative advisor, complimented the group on its 50 years of continuous regional nematology committee projects. He mentioned that the project rewrite request was approved and that we should proceed to develop a writing committee. Jim LaMondia is to be chairman of the writing committee. Lou Magnarelli mentioned several important elements to be included in the new project: need, relevance, leveraging of funds, interdependency of project objectives, multi-state and multi-disciplinary relations, using extension to transfer information, promoting successful milestones and likely impacts, and training workshops. The timeframe for new project development: 31 March 2008 Send names and e-mail addresses of five reviewers to Lou Magnarelli. 1 June 2008 First submission to Louis Magnarelli. 1 December 2008 Returned from external reviewers. 1 February 2009 Submission of corrected copy to Directors. 31 March 2009 Approval of Directors. The writing committee shall contact each potential project reviewer before hand to ensure they are willing to participate in the review process, and they are to be told that their review comments will be kept confidential. Once the reviewers are identified their names will be submitted by Lou Magnarelli to NIMSS. The new project would be for 5 years beginning 1 October 2009 and ending 31 September 2014. Our current project NE 1019 ends 31 September 2009. Lou mentioned that two high national priority areas established by the Deans and Directors included research on biofuels and food safety. Thursday afternoon 4 October 2007 State oral reports: Presenters: George Abawi, George Bird, Don Dickson, John Halbrendt, Robin Huettel. The business meeting was call to order by Jim LaMondia. It was noted that Inga Zasada will serve as chairman of committee for 2008 and Don Dickson will serve as secretary for 2008. Invitations for hosting the 2008 annual meeting were received from Robin Huettel, Auburn University, and Nathaniel Mitkowski, University of Rhode Island. It was moved by George Abawi that we accept the invitation to meet in Newport, RI. The motioned passed unanimously. It was mentioned that if details could be worked out NE1019 would meet jointly with the northeastern American Phytopathological Society annual meeting. Nathaniel Mitkowski will serve as local arrangements host. A writing committee was approved for drafting a new project. The committee will be organized based on three objectives and those responsible for writing each objective are listed below: Objective 1 = Jim LaMondia, lead and Don Dickson; Objective 2 = Jim Kotcon, lead and George Bird; Objective 3 = George Abawi, lead and Robert Wick. Nathaniel Mitkowski will coordinate writing the introduction and integrating the project proposal. Jim LaMondia will contact Deborah Neher, inviting her to become a member of new project. Friday morning 5 October 2007 State oral reports continued Presenters: Jim Kotcom, Jim LaMondia, Nathaniel Mitkowski, and Robert Wick. Janete Brito and Beth Gugino, invited guess, presented a research report on distribution of Meloidogyne mayaguensis and M. partityla in agriculture; and details concerning a nematology workshop for northeastern states, respectively. George Abawi gave details concerning the Cornell University soil health educational program. A hardy thank you was extended to Jim LaMondia for hosting NE1019 in Mystic, Connecticut. The meeting adjourned at noon.

Accomplishments OBJECTIVE 1. Develop cultural controls for plant-parasitic nematodes based on resistant, non-host, or nematode-antagonistic rotation crops and green manures. Alabama. Cover crops were assessed preceding peanut and cotton for reduction of plant parasitic nematodes in southern Alabama. Winter grains and Sunn Hemp were evaluated. In greenhouse studies, two oat cvs. Georgia and Bob, reduced M. incognita; reniform nematodes were lower on both rye and oats than wheat. Sunn Hemp genotypes were collected from different countries for future breeding programs. Nematodes were lower on all the Sunn Hemp genotypes when compared to susceptible controls. The mechanism by which Sunn Hemp limits plant-parasitic nematode reproduction is not clearly known but may be due to nematode antagonistic compounds produced in the root system. Connecticut. A number of native prairie plants and potential nematode-antagonistic plants were evaluated for management of Pratylenchus penetrans, Xiphinema spp. and Meloidogyne hapla in field and greenhouse experiments. Pratylenchus populations were reduced by certain prairie native plants and forage pearl millet 101, which had undetectable populations. In microplots infested with the potato early dying pathogens Verticillium dahliae and P. penetrans a single season of rotation to Black-eyed-Susan, Rudbeckia hirta, Polynema marigold, pearl millet or Trudan 8 sudangrass reduced P. penetrans recovery. Rudbeckia hirta and pearl millet increased tuber yields. Michigan. HG Type 2.5.7 has been identified as the most common soybean cyst nematode HG Type in Michigan. In one research trial, HG Type 1.2.3.5.6.7 was identified. Three cultivars of pearl millet were identified as poor hosts of the root-lesion nematode. Host yield response and nematode population reduction with yellow mustard bio-fumigation was only about one-third as effective as fumigation with metham. New York. The influence of 18 cover crops on population densities of lesion nematode and reproduction in bean roots was evaluated. The lowest population density was found after canola cv. Hyola 440, as determined by soil bioassay with beans. Pennsylvania. Experimental results from established field plots to evaluate Canadian Forage Pearl Millet and Velvet Bean as suppressive rotation or green manure crops for lesion and dagger nematode control showed a correlation between dagger nematode mortality and the concentration of benzyl glucosinolate in Nasturtium tissue when the plants were used as green manure in bioassays. Rhode Island. Screening of lettuce germplasm for resistance to Meloidogyne hapla was continued. Approximately 100 accessions of Lactuca sativa, L. virosa and L. serriola were examined, with the expectation of completing a total of 300 different accessions. All L. sativa accessions were susceptible to M. hapla, while L. virosa and L. serriola range from moderately to completely resistant. An attempt was made to develop tissue culture protocols for future protoplast fusion. However we were unsuccessful in culturing wild type protoplasts. Additional tissue culture work was undertaken to examine the factors influencing the tissue culturability of different Lactuca accessions utilizing multiple explant types. After determining that differences in nematode susceptibility on different turfgrasses were present, screening of 9 commercially available creeping and velvet bentgrass varieties (established in Fall 2005) were sampled in June, July and September for resistance to Tylenchorhynchus and Hoplolaimus nematodes. Damage symptoms were not observed on any of the varieties but there were differences in host suitability. One breeding line of velvet bentgrass had higher numbers of nematodes than the other varieties. Tennessee. Reproduction of Meloidogyne incognita was studied in repeated replicated experiments on five species: two plants with promising nematicidal characteristics (Monarda `Croftway Pink` [bee balm] and Chenopodium epazote `Glossy`) and three good hosts (`Rutgers` tomato, `Best Friend` edamame-type soybean, and `Mammoth` sunflower). Results of both experiments were similar. Mean reproductive factors were 15.5 on soybean, 10.5 on tomato, 5.2 on sunflower, 0.06 on bee balm, and 0.04 on epazote. Invasion of roots was similar among the plants, but females rarely developed on epazote and bee balm. USDA-Beltsville. Essential oils derived from plants are an option being considered for nematode management. In lab assays, root-knot nematodes were placed in clove oil (from the plant Syzygium aromaticum), exposed to volatile compounds from the oil, and placed in soil treated with clove oil. Concentrations of clove oil active against the nematodes were tested in the greenhouse for toxicity to plants and for suppression of nematode populations on plant roots. West Virginia. A large farming systems trial is being conducted over 8 years. The trial included compost intensive management system versus a low-input system that relies on green manures and cover crops. Nematode population densities remained low for all plant parasites throughout and few differences among compost treatments or crops were statistically significant. Increases over the growing season were not observed, suggesting the presence of suppressive soils. OBJECTIVE 2. Develop biological control agents, such as Pasteuria penetrans, for suppression of plant-parasitic nematodes. Connecticut. Pasteuria endospores were observed on M. hapla juveniles from certain field microplots infested with the nematode since 1995. The microplots appear to have developed suppressive soil characteristics. A technique developed in Florida was used to demonstrate biocontrol by Pasteuria. Autoclaved soil had more galls than either microwaved or untreated soil (465, 267, and 203, respectively). No endospore-filled females were observed. A repeat experiment is underway and soil has been provided to Dr. Don Dickson in Florida for testing using monoclonal antibodies. Florida. Multiple-strand displacement amplification (MDA) was used to generate DNA for comparative genomics of biotypes exhibiting different host preferences. Single nematodes of Meloidogyne spp. infected with P. penetrans biotypes P20 or B4 contained SNPs in the spoIIAB gene as revealed by MDA-generated products. Detection of signature SNPs in the spoIIAB gene found in P20 and B4 biotypes allows probe design for quantifying the biotypes for selective biocontrol of different species and races of root-knot nematodes. The DNA from a cosmid library containing genomic DNA derived from the P4 isolate of Pasteuria ramosa (infecting the cladoceran water flea, Daphnia magna) has been subjected to genome sequencing on the 454 sequencer. Sequence was obtained for 3682080 bp at a cost of less than $32,000. Specific sequences containing variable number tandem repeats (VNTRs) were used to identify homologues in different isolates of P. ramosa that are given biotype status based upon their specificities for different isolates of their host, D. magna. These VNTRs serve as molecular markers with which to differentiate populations of Pasteuria spp. as a function of environmental distribution and host preference. This effort has demonstrated the feasibility of applying low cost high-throughput DNA sequencing to determine the basis for host preference and virulence of Pasteuria spp. as parasites of phytopathogenic nematodes. Michigan. In eight of nine trials, Bacillus firmus (Chancellor) did not enhance plant growth. Population reduction of plant parasitic nematodes was not observed in any of the trials. West Virginia. Lesion nematodes were extracted from soils from six organic growers and examined for presence of attached Pasteuria spores. Lesion nematode cultures on corn root explants were initiated, in an effort to develop cultures of Pasteuria on Pratylenchus. The incidence of Pasteuria thornei on Pratylenchus penetrans is being determined by sampling six organic production fields. Also, the efficacy of the nematode trapping fungus, Arthrobotrys oligospora against Meloidogyne incognita in organic production fields is being evaluated. Nematode mortality rates in soil inoculated with trapping fungi was greater than in soil without fungi, suggesting that A. oligospora provided low levels of control of M. incognita. OBJECTIVE 3. Determine the effects of cultural and biological controls of plant-parasitic nematodes on nematode community ecology dynamics at the trophic group level. Alabama. Bacterial profiles were determined in a long-term rotation study at Wire Grass Research Station, Headland, AL by ARISA for understanding agricultural cultural tactics on nematode communities. Although divisional level bacterial communities did not differ among crop rotations, there is some evidence that significant negative correlations exists among different bacterial divisions. This could affect the soil health by changing the numbers/types of soilborne pathogens. Florida. Pasteuria penetrans, a bacterial parasite of root-knot nematodes, was transferred from a suppressive soil site to a noninfested field site. The bacterium established and increased within 3 years to levels that are suppressive to root-knot nematodes on peanut. Massachusetts. Agroneem (15% neem-biomass, 0.15% azadirachtin), NeoTec (2.6% sesame oil, 2% lecithin and 94.8% granulated paper seed), Multiguard (2-furan carboxaldehyde, a natural product derived from the hemicellulose fraction of plants), and RootRX (a walnut extract), were tested over a 3 or 4 year period as biological nematicides for nematode management on golf greens. There were no differences in turf color or thinning among the treatments during any of the years. There were never any differences between the Agroneem treatment and the control. Multiguard showed significant phytotoxicity that lasted for more than 30 days. Michigan. The vast majority of bacterial-feeding nematodes has been recovered from the O-horizon. In a certified organic apple research orchard, changes in nematode community structure were extensive the three years following certification. In a comparison of four orchard floor management systems, hay-straw mulch was the only one that reduced population densities of the root-lesion nematode. New York. A train the trainer workshop was set up for the diagnosis, visual assessment and management of plant-parasitic nematodes of vegetables and small fruit in the Northeast. The workshops will be conducted throughout the northeast. The training is a collaborative effort among NYSAES, Cornell University, Geneva, NY (Dr. George Abawi), Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (Dr. Jim LaMondia), and Vermont (Dr. Debra Neher). The trainings will contribute to the management of nematodes on a whole farm and on as needed basis, thus promoting IPM principals. Impact of soil health management practices on plant-parasitic nematode populations is being determined at the long-term soil health site near Geneva. Plots cropped to vetch as a cover crop in 2005 and 2006 had the highest number of free-living nematodes. However, no differences were found in plant-parasitic nematodes (principally, M. hapla and P. penetrans) among the three cover crops. The large number of samples processed for determining their soil health status suggested that populations of lesion nematode were increasing, probably due to the increased use of grains to improve soil health parameters. Promising results were again obtained with the biological seed treatment nematicide, AVICTA. Penetration of juveniles of M. hapla into tomato roots was reduced for at least 4 weeks after planting by seed treatment with AVICTA. However, planting AVICTA-treated seeds in plugs first was not effective in reducing root-galling severity and reproduction of M. hapla when the plugs were transplanted into heavily infested soil. AVICTA-treated onion seeds reduced the number of P. penetrans in roots for up to 4 weeks after planting. Pennsylvania. Initiated a study to evaluate the potential of using vital stains as a tool to differentiate nematode trophic groups from soil samples.

Publications Abawi, G. S., B. K. Gugino, H. van Es, J. Thies, J. Idowu, R. Schindlebeck, D. Wolfe, C. MacNeil, and C. Petzoldt. 2007. An illustrated manual on soil health assessment protocols and management options for training and outreach. NYS IPM Publication #131: 36-39. Bird, G. W., and M. J. Brewer. 2006. Integrated Pest Management , Eco-Literacy and Unexpected Consequences. Pp. 25-50 (in) A New Social Contract: Developing and Extending Sustainable Agriculture, Francis, C, R. Poincelot and G. Bird (eds). Haworth Press. 367. Boesch, B. P., and Mitkowski, N. A. 2007. Management of velvet bentgrass putting greens. Applied Turfgrass Science. DOI:10.1094/ATS-2007-0125-01-RS. Elmer, W. H., Gent, M. P. N, LaMondia, J. A., Ferrandino, F. J., and Stoner, K. A. 2007. Root nutrition, rhizobacteria, and the early dying disease of potato as affected by spent mushroom compost, straw mulch, and fumigation. Proceedings of the Second Spent Mushroom Symposium. Concordville, Pennsylvania Sept 17-20, 2006. Epstein, D., J. Anderson, G. Bird, J. Flore, L. Gut, P. McManus, J. Nugent, R. Issac, A. Schilder, M. Whalon, R. Sirrine,and J. Sanchez. 2007. Tart Cherry Systems. Pp. 74-101 (in) Ecologically-Based Farming Systems, Much D. R. et al. Michigan State University Extension Bulletin E-2983. East Lansing. 139 pp. Francis, C, R. Poincelot and G. Bird. 2006. A New Social Contract: Developing and Extending Sustainable Agriculture, (eds). Haworth Press, 367 pp. Gugino, B. K., J. W. Ludwig, and G. S. Abawi. 2007. An on-farm bioassay for assessing Meloidogyne hapla infestations as a decision management tool. Crop Protection (accepted, pending revision) Gugino, B. K., O. J. Idoowu, R. R. Schindelbeck, H. M. van Es, J. E. Thies, and G. S. Abawi. 2007. Cornell Soil Health Assessment Training Manual, Edition 1.1, Cornell University, Geneva, NY 14456. pp. 52. Gugino, B. K., G. S. Abawi, and J. W. Ludwig. 2007. Update on carrot diseases and management recommendations, 2006. Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo Proceedings, Cornell Coop. Extension, pp. 161  163. Gugino, B. K, G. S. Abawi, and J. W. Ludwig. 2007. Development of on-farm protocols for assessing soil nematode infestation levels in vegetable fields and making the appropriate management decisions. NYS IPM Publication #131: 16-23. Gugino, B. K., and G. S. Abawi. 2007. Impact of soil health management on soilborne diseases and nematodes. Phytopathilogy (Suppl.) 97: S141-142 (Abstr.). Halbrendt, J.M., I.A. Zasada, and J.A. LaMondia. 2007. Evaluation of Canadian Forge Pearl Millet and Velvet Bean as rotation crops or green manures to control lesion and dagger nematodes. Pennsylvania Fruit News 87(3):47-51. Han, H-R., D. W. Dickson, and D. P. Weingartner. 2006. Biological characterization of five isolates of Belonolaimus longicaudatus. Nematropica 36:26-35. Han, H-R., A. Jeyaprakash, D. P. Weingartner, and D. W. Dickson. 2006. Morphological and molecular biological characterization of Belonolaimus longicaudatus. Nematropica 36:37-51. Jordan, K. S. and Mitkowski, N. A. 2007. Soil characteristics and management practices associated with population levels of plant-parasitic nematodes on golf course greens in southern New England. Agronomy Journal (accepted). Kariuki, G. M., J. A. Brito, and D. W. Dickson. 2006. Effects of Pasteuria penetrans endospore rate of attachment on root penetration and fecundity of Meloidogyne arenaria race 1. Nematropica 36:261-267. Jeyaprakash, A., M. S. Tigano, J. Brito, R. M. D. G. Carneiro, and D.W. Dickson. 2006. Differentiation of Meloidogyne floridensis from M. arenaria using high-fidelity PCR amplified mitochondrial AT-rich sequences. Nematropica 36:1-12. LaMondia, J. A. 2006. Management of lesion nematodes and potato early dying with rotation crops. Journal of Nematology 38(4):442-448. LaMondia, J. A. 2007. Connecticut grown oilseed for biodiesel fuel and integrated pest management. The Voice, The Connecticut Academy of Arts and Sciences Newsletter Spring 2007 p. 1-5. Marla, S, R. Huettel, and J. Mosjidis. 2007. Effects of several populations of Sunn Hemp on nematodes. Journal of Nematology (Abstr.). Mitkowski, N. A. 2007. First report of Subanguina radicicola , the root-gall nematode, infecting Poa annua putting greens in Washington state. Plant Disease 91:905. Mouton, L., G. Nong, J.F. Preston, and D. Ebert. 2007. Variable number of tandem repeats as molecular markers for biotypes of Pasteuria ramosa in Daphnia species. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 73:3715-3718. Nong, G., V. Chow , L.M. Schmidt , D.W. Dickson, J.F. Preston. 2007. Multiple-strand displacement and identification of SNPs as markers of genotypic variation of Pasteuria penetrans biotypes infecting root-knot nematodes. FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 61:327-336. Olivares-Fuster, C. Arias, K. L. Bowen, and R. Huettel. 2007. Understanding soil microbial communities as affected by crop sequence and environment. Phytopathology 97:S87 (Abstr.). Ou, L., Thomas, J. E., Allen Jr, L. H., Vu, J. C., Dickson, D. W. 2006. Effects of application methods of metam sodium and plastic covers on horizontal and vertical distributions of methyl isothiocyanate in bedded field plots. Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. 51:164-173. Panaccione, D. G., J. B. Kotcon, C. Schardl, R. Johnson, and J. Morton. 2006. Ergot alkaloids are not essential for endophytic fungus-associated population suppression of the lesion ematode, Pratylenchus scribneri, on perennial ryegrass. Nematology 8:583-590. Pokharel, R. R., G. S. Abawi, N. Zhang, J. M. Duxbury, and C. D. Smart. 2007. Characterization of isolate of Meloidogyne from rice-wheat production fields in Nepal. J. of Nematology 39: (accepted, in-press). Roberts, D. P., McKenna, L. F., Lakshman, D. K., Meyer, S. L. F., Kong, H., de Souza, J. T., Lydon, J., Baker, C. J., Buyer, J. S., and Chung, S. Suppression of damping-off of cucumber caused by Pythium ultimum with live cells and extracts of Serratia marcescens N4-5. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 39: 2275-2288. 2007. Salinas, K., S. Edenborn, A. Sexstone, and J. B. Kotcon. 2007. Bacterial preferences of the bacterivorous soil nematode Cephalobus brevicauda (Cephalobidae): effect of bacterial type and size. Pedobiologia 51:55-64. Snapp, S., G. Bird et al. 2007. Potato Systems. Pp. 73 (in) Ecologically-Based Farming Systems. Much D., R. Harwood et al. Michigan State University Extension Bulletin E-2983. East Lansing. 139 pp. Sudini, H., K. L. Bowen, and R. Huettel. 2007. Soil community analysis of bacterial populations as influenced by crop rotations in a long-term peanut production study. Pathology 97: S112 (Abstr.). Thomas, J. E., Ou, L., Allen Jr, L. H., Vu, J. C., Dickson, D. W. 2006. Henry's law constants and mass transfer coefficients for methyl bromide and 1,3-dichloropropene applied to Florida sandy field soil. Chemosphere 62:980-988. Zasada, I.A., Rice, C. P., and Meyer, S. L. F. Improving the use of rye (Secale cereale) for nematode management: Potential to select cultivars based on Meloidogyne incognita host status and benzoxazinoid content. Nematology 9: 53-60. 2007. Zasada, I. A., Rogers, S. T., and Sardanelli, S. Application of alkaline-stabilized biosolids for Meloidogyne incognita suppression in microplots. Nematology 9:123-129. 2007.