Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Not all nematodes behave in the same fashion in response to different control tactics because nematodes are a genetically variable group of organisms. It is often important to be able to differentiate among nematode populations. It may soon be possible to identify nematodes species using a small section of the 3 region of the 18S rDNA as a DNA barcode. Host plant resistance is an important tool for sustainable nematode control. The root-knot nematode resistant/tolerant sainfoin Shoshone has been released by the University of Wyoming allowing increased stand persistence in root-knot nematode infected areas. Two hundred twenty soybean varieties have been evaluated for resistance to the soybean cyst nematode Race 3 HG type 0 providing growers and commercial breeders valuable data necessary to manage the nematode. For soybean cyst nematode resistance evaluations, replications in time is better for assessing nematode reproduction than more replications conducted at the same time. Alfalfa varieties have been screened for resistance to lesion nematode and root-knot nematode. Bean cultivars have been evaluated for resistance to the northern root-knot nematode. Sugar beet genotypes have been screened for resistance/tolerance to the sugar beet cyst nematode and a wild-type beet with tolerance was identified. In taro, no absolute resistance to root-knot nematode, but a range of tolerance and susceptibility was identified among germplasm. With a general interest in lowering fumigant costs for nematode control, cover crops are one possible alternative. A blend of mustards used as a cover crop following a wheat rotation worked well in controlling root-knot nematode in potato in the Northwest. Arugala Nemat is a potentially good as a cover crop because it works as a trap crop luring the nematode into roots but not supporting reproduction. For more tropical systems, sorghum/sudangrass hybrids, marigolds, and sunn hemp are cover crop possibilities. These rotations must be sensitive to grower concerns and amenable to the existing cropping system. Whereas resistance and the use of nonhost plants serve to take advantage of differences in genetic variability among nematodes to protect crop plants, other methods can be used to control nematodes as well. Lysobacter enzymogenes strain C3 is active against a range of plant-parasitic nematodes. This bacteria has the potential to be a new nematode biological control agent. Soybean cyst nematode populations appear to differ in their adaptation to soil environments. Consequently, N-Viro Soil, a recycled municipal biosolid product, could be used as a soil amendment to take advantage of the differences in nematode adaptation and be a complimentary or alternative for resistance management. In the coming year, our project activities will focus on completion of several experiments, initiation of new experiments, and continuation of exisiting experiments. We will evaluate plant germplasm for sources of resistance to nematodes. We will be conducting experiments to determine the genetic variation underlying observed nematode behavior. We will be investigating new methods to control nematodes which exploit the underlying variation in nematodes and there interactions with plants. We will undertake efforts to draft proposals to fund ongoing and new research endeavors.