Host status of cover crops for the management of Meloidogyne izalcoensis in coffee orchards infested with root-knot nematodes

What is it about?

The root-knot nematode Meloidogyne izalcoensis was described parasitizing coffee trees and causing damage in the Izalco volcano region, Sonsonate, El Salvador. In Brazil, it was detected in coffee roots in the municipality of Indianópolis, Minas Gerais state (MG)._x000D_ Intercropping cover crops is a traditional practice in Brazilian coffee orchards, and the use of plants that are non-hosts or antagonistic to the nematodes is a very promising strategy for coffee in infested areas. Due to the scarce information on the host status of M. izalcoensis, the aim of this study was to evaluate in greenhouse 24 plants of different species of cover crops and select the non-hosts or poor hosts. Most of the botanical species tested were classified as non-hosts or poor host to M. izalcoensis: cotton, rice, white oat, black oat, ryegrass, corn, three species of grass, two varieties of millet, two wheat cultivars, Crotalaria breviflora, C. ochroleuca, C. spectabilis, jack bean, gray-mucuna and two species of rice grass. Only tomato and bean were classified as good host, and C. juncea, and soybean were classified as intermediate host. The plants identified as non-hosts or poor hosts can be recommended for intercropping or for crop rotation in Brazilian coffee orchards in regions infested by M. izalcoensis._x000D_

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