Behavior of peach and mume rootstocks to the nematode Meloidogyne enterolobii

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the response of one mume rootstock and five peach rootstocks (Capdeboscq, Aldrighi, Tsukuba, Flordaguard, Okinawa) to the nematode Meloidogyne enterolobii. Plants averaging 12 cm in height were transferred to a greenhouse. Genotypes were individually inoculated with a suspension of 104 eggs of M. enterolobii. The study was carried out in a completely randomized design with six treatments (rootstocks) and six replicates. The degree of infectivity of rootstocks (number of galls and number of eggs per root system) and the foliar content of macro- and micro-nutrients were assessed. Based on the reproduction factor of eggs/root (RF) and infectivity, rootstock hospitability was characterized as highly resistant (mume), resistant (Okinawa, Capdeboscq, Aldrigui, Tsukuba), and moderately resistant (Flordaguard). All Prunus species, except mume, exhibited galls and egg masses when inoculated with M. enterolobii. Foliar contents followed descending orders of macro- and micro-nutrients for rootstocks ‘Capdeboscq’, ‘Tsukuba’ and ‘Aldrighi’ (N >Ca> K > Mg > P > S and Mn> Fe > B > Zn > Cu), for mume (N >Ca> K > Mg > S > P and Mn> Fe > B > Zn > Cu), and for ‘Flordaguard’ (N >Ca> K > S > Mg > P and Mn> Fe > B > Zn > Cu).