Transport of the Nematicide Oxamyl in Roots Transformed with Agrobacterium rhizogenes

Abstract

Infection of roots transformed with Agrobacterium rhizogenes by Meloidogyne incognita and Heterodera schachtii second-stage juveniles was established in bicompartmental petri dishes. One compartment contained the Murashige and Skoog agar medium and the nematicide oxamyl, and the other compartment contained water agar. Transformed roots of carrot, tomato, alfalfa, cowpea, rape, and sugarbeet were placed in the nutrient compartment and grew over the barrier that divided the petri dishes and into the water agar compartment where juveniles were inoculated. The infective juveniles that thrust their stylets repeatedly into the apical cells of oxamyl-treated roots became immobilized. A comparison with previous studies on intact plants indicated that oxamyl was transported into the root tissues and diffused in the exudates. Key words: Agrobacterium rhizogenes, Heterodera schachtii, Meloidogyne incognita, oxamyl, transformed root.