Root Knot Nematode Pest Control

1. Root Knot Nematode
Hi, my name is: Root Knot Nematode
Describe yourself: For some reason, heaps of people are really scared of me. I don’t know why, I’m
just a microscopic little critter who looks a bit like an eel. I’m not a bad guy, it’s just I have this toxic
saliva that seems to destroy everything it touches…
Hobbies: I love roots! Roots are my life! I adore entering roots and nibbling the goodness out of
them, while secreting my terrible saliva. Apparently this causes rotting, abnormal cell enlargement
and multiplication (like galls), abnormal cell division that results in an excessive number of lateral
roots, and general stunting.
Likes: Roots, especially those of tomatoes, potatoes, beans, carrots, wheat, grapevines, and
ornamentals such as many cut flower varieties. I especially love sandy soils, it lets me breathe and
move about! I love warm weather and curling up with an egg sac over winter!
Dislikes: The roots of a few plants (French Marigold and Asparagus mainly) confuse my lifecycle
and can result in my untimely passing, resistant plant varieties, crop rotation, regular watering,
compost and mulch.
You’ll know you’ve met me when: Well, this is part
of the problem, you probably won’t know until you
pull out your plants and have a look at the roots.
Because I hang out underground, the first you may
know about it is slow growing, stunted plants with
pale green or yellow leaves
Old School Control Methods: Nemacur (or similar
Nematicide)

2. Breaking up ain’t hard to do… if you
Forget about the chemicals… this ain’t going to work for us little fellas!!s
Destroy all infected plants by bagging and disposing in rubbish, or burning. Do not compost.s
Rotate your crops!!! Don’t plant the same crops, or susceptible crops in the same area eachs
season. And the crops that replace them must be immune to the nematode or have a high level
of resistance. These include some grasses, cabbage, cauliflower, sweet corn and onions.
Plant loads of French marigolds in your patch with susceptible plants! French marigold rootss
produce exudates that stimulate hatching of nematode eggs, but when the larvae enter these
plants they die without completing their lifecycle.
Try a little asparagus! Asparagus roots secrete an exudate that is toxic to nematodes.s
Regularly water, use compost and mulch, and keep the soil rich in organic matter!s
Photographs:
Pic 1: http://www.avrdc.org/photos/tomato_diseases/index.html
Pic 2: http://www.nematology.umd.edu/rootknot.html Desc: Here I am… what a handsome devil!
Pic 3: http://www.apsnet.org/Education/LessonsPlantPath/RootKnotNema/default.htm Desc: A carrot
crop showing Root Knot Nematode Damage