Root knot nematode-plant interactions

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs), of the genus Meloidogyne, are economically important plant parasitic nematodes that parasitize nearly every species of higher plants including high value vegetable crops such as tomato and pepper and are distributed worldwide. In Africa, crop production losses of up to 100% are encountered especially by small holder farmers. The mitigation measures deployed to control these parasites have had minimal success in addition to the most effective nematicides being discontinued due to their ozone depleting effects. As such, to contribute to the development of alternative eco-friendly strategies, we sought to understand the mechanisms of host location. The aim of this project was to determine behavioural responses of Meloidogyne incognita second stage juveniles (J2s) to various cultivars of tomato and pepper, chemical profiling of the root volatiles and non-volatiles, and identify compounds associated with nematode behaviour.

PROJECT PARTNERS:

  • Dr. John J. Beck, USDA/ARS- Chemistry Research Unit, Center for Medical, Agricultural and Veterinary Entomology, USA

  • Prof. Consuelo De Moraes and Prof. Mark Mescher (The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology- ETH Zürich)

  • Prof. James Tumlinson, Penn. State University, PA, USA

  • Prof. Christina Grozinger, Penn. State University, PA, USA

  • Prof. Woodbridge Foster, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

  • Prof. Christian Borgemeister, University of Bonn, Germany

  • Prof. Sandra Junglen, Institute of Virology, Charite - Universitätsmedizin Berlin

  • Prof. Martin Dr Martin J. Steinbauer, Department of Ecology, Environment & Evolution, La Trobe University, Melbourne, AUSTRALIA

  • Dr. Manuele Tamo, IITA, Benin

  • Dr. Danny Coyne, IITA, icipe, Nairobi

  • Dr. Christian Pirk, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

  • Dr. Catherine Sole, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

  • Prof. Johnny VanderBerg, North West University, South Africa,

  • Prof. Rickard, Ignell, Swedish Agricultural University, Sweden

  • Prof. Philip Stevenson, University of Greenwich, UK

  • Prof. Lucy Irungu, University of Nairobi

  • Dr Jonathan Dalzell, Queen's University Belfast, Ireland

  • Prof. Frans Maathuis, University of York

  • Prof. Vanessa Enzewa, Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, USA