Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Report Information: Minutes 2009, Annual Meeting of new NE-1040 includes progress from NE-1019 Project No. and Title: NE-1019 Alternative Management Systems for Plant-Parasitic Nematodes in Horticultural and Field Crops Annual Meeting Dates: 10/22/09 to 10/23/09 Period the Report Covers: 10/2008 to 09/2009 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 Thursday 22 October 2009 (morning and afternoon) Robin Huettel, local arrangements host, welcomed the group. The meeting was held 22 October and 23 October at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia. The meeting began at 8:30am both mornings and concluded at 10:00 am on 23 October. The term of the previous chair, Inga Zasada, had been filled by interim chairs the previous two years so the group elected a new chair. Nathaniel Mitkowski was nominated by Jim LaMondia and seconded by George Abawi. No other candidates were nominated and Nathaniel Mitkowski accepted the position by unanimous approval of the committee. The meeting was called to order by Nathaniel Mitkowski, chair. Don Dickson continued to serve as recording secretary. Both individuals will continue in these positions until 2011, when new officers will be elected. Louis Magnarelli, administrative advisor, discussed the status of the new project proposal, indicating that it had been approved for a 7-year term. The new project, NE1040, began on 1 October 2009 and ends 31 September 2016. He also mentioned that the termination report for NE1019 was due by the end of December, 60 days after the meeting currently in progress, and that it was critical that the report address all the milestones associated with the 2009 phase of NE1019, indicating and explaining why any milestones were not met, in the unlikely event that was the case. He also pointed out that CSREES has been replaced by NIFA (National Institute of Food and Agriculture). Participant oral reports followed: Presenters: Robin Huettel, Jim LaMondia, Don Dickson, Jim Preston, George Bird, Senyu Chen, George Abawi, Parwinder Grewal, John Halbrendt, Nathaniel Mitkowski, Judy Thies, Jim Kotcon and Deborah Neher. On 23 October 2009, the business meeting was called to order by Nathaniel Mitkowski. An invitation for hosting the 2010 annual meeting was received from Rob Wick at the University of Massachusetts via Jim LaMondia. The meeting would be in conjunction with the 2010 NEAPS Division Meeting in Northampton, MA. It was moved by Nathaniel Mitkowski that we accept the invitation to meet in conjunction with NEAPS. Don Dickson seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously. The group thanks Robin Huettel for hosting NE1019 at Callaway Gardens and the meeting adjourned at 10:00 am.

All milestones were achieved during the project, including workshops for project participants on 1) the identification of nematode-suppressive soils and Pasteuria penetrans biocontrol, and 2) transferring nematode ecology concepts to agriculture. Project members conducted 12 hands-on train-the-trainer outreach workshops on diagnosis, on-farm assessment and management of plant-parasitic nematodes throughout the Northeast. OBJECTIVE 1. Develop cultural controls for plant-parasitic nematodes based on resistant, non-host, or nematode-antagonistic rotation crops and green manures. Nematode outreach workshops were conducted for nearly 100 participants by scientists from NY, PA, CT and VT during 2009 in RI, NJ, PA, and ME. Plant resistance or tolerance to root knot or lesion nematodes was described on peppers in SC, strawberry in CT and Lactuca spp. in RI. Rotation experiments demonstrated that forage green manure crops can control some nematodes (CT). A two-year cover crop field study preceding peanuts and cotton was conducted (AL) to evaluate winter grain reduction of plant nematodes. After 11 years of a 12-year on-farm study, Heterodera glycines resistant soybean yields were up to 48% higher than a non-resistant variety (MI). Three soybean outreach contributions including a Michigan Soybean Cyst Nematode Management Field Pocket Guide were published. A 10-yr farming systems trial evaluated methods for conversion from conventional to organic farming (WV). Bioassay experiments conducted in CT and PA determined that Brassica species controlled root-knot nematodes when plant seed mash was soil incorporated. OBJECTIVE 2. Develop biological control agents, such as Pasteuria penetrans, for suppression of plant-parasitic nematodes. Scientists (FL) compared Pasteuria penetrans and P. ramose sporulation genes and an epitope associated with the spore envelope. Sequences were obtained to differentiate Pasteuria species and biotypes. Three members of the group (FL and MI) authored a Pasteuria chapter of Bergeys Manual, published in 2009. Pseudomonas fluorescens produces 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG). DAPG toxicity against seven plant-parasitic and bacterial-feeding species was dependent on nematode species and life stages assayed (USDA-MD). DiTera, a freeze-dried formulation of Myrothecium, suppressed nematodes on golf green turf in MA. OBJECTIVE 3. Determine the effects of cultural and biological controls of plant-parasitic nematodes on nematode community ecology dynamics at the trophic group level. The nematode community structure project at the Michigan State University Kellogg Biological Station Long Term Ecological Research (KBS/LTER) site was completed. Eighty-seven nematode taxa were identified. Most taxa were found in the pristine deciduous forest and fewest in no-till corn-soybean-wheat rotation. In New York, plots at the long-term soil health site that represent 3 tillage systems, 3 cover crops and 2 crop rotations were sampled in spring 2009 for plant-parasitic and free-living nematodes. Results were reported at the New York State Vegetable Exposition. A denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis protocol was developed to generate genetic profiles of nematode communities from peanut soils in Alabama. A statewide survey of the frequency, abundance and distribution of plant-parasitic nematodes was conducted for the first time in Vermont.

Publications: Abawi, G. S., B. K. Gugino, J. A. LaMondia, and D. A. Neher. 2009. Train-The-Trainer workshops as a platform for extending nematological outreach in the northeast region of the U.S. Society of Nematologists and Soil Ecology Society meeting, Burlington, VT; July 12  15, 2009. Program page 59 (Abstr.). Abawi, G. S., J. W. Ludwig, and B. K. Gugino. 2009. Nematode research update and management practices. Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo Proceedings, Cornell Coop. Extension, pp. 54 - 57. Abawi, G. S., J. W. Ludwig, and B. K. Gugino. 2009. Results of the long-term tillage, rotation, and cover crop trial at the Gates Farm. Empire State Fruit and Vegetable Expo Proceedings, Cornell Coop. Extension, pp. 128  130. Bao, Y. 2009. Role of nematode community biodiversity in suppression of plant parasitic nematodes. M.S. Thesis, University of Vermont. Bird, G. 2009. Herodotus of Halicarnassus, Nematode Community Structure and the Law of Entropy. Proceedings of the Society of Nematologists. July 12, 2009. Burlington, VT (Abstr). Bird, G., L. Schumacher, J. Davenport and T. Kendle. 2009. Influence of precipitation on Populations of Heterodera glycines in the Presence and Absence of Resistant Cultivars. Proceedings of the Society of Nematologists. July 12, 2009. Burlington, VT (Abstr). Bird, G. W., M. Grieshop, P. Hepperly and J. Moyer. 2009. Climbing Mt. Organic: An Ecosystem Approach to Pest Management (pp. 191-208) in Organic Farming: The Ecological System, C. Francis (ed). ASA/CSSA/SSA/ASF Publishing. Madison, WI. Brown-Rytlewski, D., G. Bird, F. Warner and K. Barnett. 2009. Soybean Cyst Nematode (SCN) Field Guide. Department of Entomology, Michigan State University. 27 pp. Conner, K. and R.N. Huettel. 2009. Molecular fingering to monitor nematode populations in agronomic soils. J. Nematology (abstract  in press). Kaur, P. and Mitkowski, N.A. 2009. Evaluation of Lactuca germplasm for resistance to the Northern Root-knot Nematode (Meloidogyne hapla Chitwood). International Journal of Vegetable Science (submitted). LaMondia, J. A. and W. H. Elmer 2008. Ecological Relationships between Meloidogyne spartinae and Salt Marsh Grasses in Connecticut. Journal of Nematology 40(3):217-220. LaMondia, J. A. and W. H. Elmer. 2008. Meloidogyne spartinae and a Fusarium sp. as possible stresses associated with decline of the salt marsh grass Spartina alterniflora. New England Estuarine Research Society Meeting. http://www.neers.org/main/meetings/viewall_qry.asp LaMondia, J. A. and N. A. McHale. 2009. Brassica glucosinolate profiles associated with biofumigant activity against Meloidogyne hapla. Journal of Nematology, (abstract) in press. Masler E.P., I.A. Zasada, S. Sardanelli, S.T. Rogers and J.M. Halbrendt. 2009. Effects of Benzyl Isothiocyanate on the Reproduction of Meloidogyne incognita on Glycine max and Capsicum annuum. Nematology (pending) Meyer, S.L.F., C.P. Rice and I. A. Zasada. 2009. DIBOA: Fate in soil and effects on root-knot nematode egg numbers. Soil Biology and Biochemistry 41:1555-1560. Meyer S.L.F, J.M. Halbrendt, L.K. Carta, A.M. Skantar, T. Liu, H.M.E. Abdelnabby and B.T. Vinyard. 2009. Exposure of Plant-parasitic and Bacterial-feeding Nematodes to Diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG). Journal of Nematology (pending) Mitkowski, N.A. 2008. Nematode Sampling. URI Turf Management Program, Golf Course Superintendents Factsheet Series (4):1. Niblack, T., G. Tylka, J. Bond, G. Bird, F. Warner, S. Chen, D. Malvick, A. Dorrance, K. Harrison, P. Esker, A. MacGuidwin, J. Faghihi, V. Ferris, L. Giesler, T. Powers, D. Hershman, D. Jardine, T. Todd, B. Nelson, S. Markell, L. Osborne, T. Chase, L. Sweets, A. Tenuta and T. Welacky. 2009. SCN (Soybean Cyst Nematode) Management Guide (5th Ed). NC Soybean Research Program Publication. 16 pp. Schmidt, L.M., L. Mouton, G. Nong, D. Ebert, and J.F. Preston. 2008. Genetic and Immunological Comparison of the Cladoceran Parasite Pasteuria ramosa with the Nematode Parasite Pasteuria penetrans. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 74: 259-264. Quintanilla, M and G. Bird. 2009. Nematode Community Structure of Soil from Alternative Management and Natural Ecosystems. Proceedings of the Society of Nematologists. July 12, 2009. Burlington, VT (Abstr). Weihong, Q., G. Nong, J.F. Preston, F. Ben-Ami, D. Ebert. 2009. Comparative metagenomics of Daphnia symbionts. BMC Genomics. 10:172. Wick, R. L. and Babineau, D. 2009. Evaluation of DiTera for controlling nematodes in golf greens 2008. Plant Disease Management Reports. Report 3: T020. Wick, R. L. and Babineau, D. 2009. Evaluation of wintergreen oil and D-Limonene for controlling nematodes I golf greens 2008. Plant Disease Management Reports, 3: T021 Wick, R. L. and Babineau, D. 2009. Evaluation of Neo-Tec S.O. for controlling nematodes in golf greens 2008. Plant Disease Management Reports, 3: T022. Wick, R. L. and Babineau, D. 2009. Evaluation of NatureCur for controlling nematodes in golf greens 2008. Plant Disease Management Reports, 3: T023.