Root Knot Nematodes in the Low Desert

DESCRIPTION:

Tiny unsegmented worm

DAMAGE:

Affected plants display general signs of water stress and nutrient deficiencies (stunting, poor flower and fruit set, wilt) and have characteristic root galls, or clubbing. Symptoms are the result of nematodes feeding on roots by sucking out the contents of cells. They seldom kill their host. Root Knot Nematodes affect 2000+ plant species, are active in warm months, and can survive in the soil without a host for years.

MANAGEMENT:

Eradication is virtually impossible. Plant resistant varieties, rotate annual crops, and leave infested areas fallow and solarize over the summer. Nematodes move slowly through the soil, and may be moved to a new location with a transplanted plant or by garden tools.