Comparative Effects of Two Populations of Meloidogyne chitwoodi on Triticum aestivum and Hordeum vulgare

Abstract

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) were evaluated under greenhouse conditions for responses to two populations of Meloidogyne chitwoodi from Utah and Idaho, U.S.A. Five cultivars of winter wheat, four cultivars of spring wheat, two cultivars of winter barley, and two cultivars of spring barley were included. Both nematode populations induced root galls and reproduced on all cultivars of wheat and barley. Nematode invasion reduced tillering and shoot and root growth. Head development was reduced or prevented on spring wheats and spring barleys. Nematode reproduction was greater on wheat than on barley and the greatest differences in reproduction were among cultivars of winter wheat. Significant differences between reproduction of, and plant damage caused by the two populations occurred only on winter wheat. The Utah population reproduced more and caused greater reduction in tillering than did the Idaho population.