Cereal and Grass Hosts of Some Gramineous Cyst Nematodes1

Abstract

The host ranges of some British populations of cyst nematodes from cereals and grasses have been studied. The nematodes were isolated from agricultural and natural habitats. Their morphology corresponded to the Heterodera avenaeImani type, to ≪ pathotype 3 ≫, or to the H. hordecalisIlatipons type. The host series included barley, oats and wheat, some of which were known to be resistant to H. avenae pathotypes, and agricultural and wild grasses. Many of the H. avenae‐resistant cereals were susceptible to pathotype 3 and to a population resembling H. avenae I mani, which had a very wide host range including grasses. The population of H. hordecalis, collected from grasses, also overcame the resistance of gene Rha2. Two populations of H. mani reproduced to a limited extent on cereals, and showed a clear preference for grass hosts. A third H. mani population reproduced only on grasses. The results draw attention to some problems in conducting and interpreting tests with many different hosts and nematodes. They reinforce the view that these gramineous cyst nematodes are a species complex, with variations in host range, as well as in morphology and biology.