Mist chamber extraction for improved diagnosis of <i>Meloidogyne</i> spp. from golf course bermudagrass

Abstract

<i>Meloidogyne</i> spp. are among the most damaging plant-parasitic nematodes to golf course bermudagrass in the southern United States. Diagnostic samples processed by centrifugal flotation often recovered only low numbers of vermiform <i>Meloidogyne</i> spp. life stages (J2 and males) from soil, while roots were found to be heavily infested by sedentary life stages. Therefore, the University of Florida Nematode Assay Lab (NAL) evaluated mist extraction from turf plugs as a method for diagnosis of <i>Meloidogyne</i> spp. from golf course bermudagrass. Soil and turf plugs were obtained from 596 golf course bermudagrass small plots from multiple locations and cultivars over several years, and vermiform <i>Meloidogyne</i> spp. extracted from 100 cm³ of soil by centrifugal flotation and by mist chamber extraction from four 3.8-cm-diam. turf plugs were compared. Additionally, both extraction methods were performed on 431 golf course bermudagrass diagnostic samples received by the NAL from Florida, 36 golf course bermudagrass diagnostic samples from Texas, and 34 golf course bentgrass/bluegrass samples from California. In the small plots, and the bermudagrass samples from Florida and Texas, mist extraction had higher detection and recovery rates of vermiform <i>Meloidogyne</i> spp. than did centrifugal flotation. However, centrifugal flotation had higher detection and recovery rates than mist extraction from bentgrass/bluegrass samples from California. Mist extraction from turf plugs is superior to centrifugal flotation from soil for diagnosis of <i>Meloidogyne</i> spp. on golf course bermudagrass, but not on golf course bentgrass and bluegrass.