Differential responses of potato cultivars to Meloidogyne hapla
Adrienne Gorny: Plant Pathology & Plant-Microbe Biology Section, Cornell University
<div>The Northern root-knot nematode (<em>Meloidogyne hapla</em>) is an important soilborne pathogen of potato in the northeastern United States, which may result in reductions in yield. Damage from <em>M. hapla </em>to potato tubers also reduces quality and may render them unmarketable. Knowledge of cultivar differences in susceptibility to <em>M. hapla</em> may enable the design of targeted management strategies and mitigate the need for control tactics such as nematicides. Eleven potato cultivars commonly grown in New York State, USA, were evaluated for their response to <em>M. hapla</em> in a replicated pot trial conducted in the greenhouse. Plants were inoculated with one of three population densities (500 or 1,500 second-stage juveniles per pot, or a non-inoculated control). Plants were evaluated for tuber yield, shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, number of tubers formed, tuber diameters, and root galling severity. <em>Meloidogyne hapla</em> reproduction factor for each cultivar was also calculated. Data were analyzed and significant effects investigated for individual factors and interactions. Inoculation with 500 <em>M. hapla </em>second-stage juveniles per pot significantly reduced yield. Interactions between cultivar and inoculation levels also had significant effect on <em>M. hapla</em> reproduction factor. Results of this study will be used to inform multi-variate disease risk prediction models for <em>M. hapla</em> in potato.</div>
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