Nematode Management in Florida Peanut Production

1. Nematode Management in Florida Peanut Production Jimmy R. Rich Nematologist

2. Plant Nematode Characteristics • Root parasites, mostly microscopic • Five life stages (plus egg) • Mostly wormlike, some females swollen • Life cycle every 20-30 days • Female produces 300-400 eggs • Over one season 1 female = 8 Billion and more nematodes (hence the problem!!)

3. Nematodes, Highly Underrated Pests • Most numerous animal in the world • Are the second most numerous animal species • Over 6000 known plant-parasitic species • Nematodes attack all crop plants • Present in greater than 90% of Florida fields

4. Nematode Anatomy

5. Plant-Parasitic Nematode Stylet (Spear)

6. Nematodes Damaging Peanut Peanut Root-Knot Nematode: • Causes 90% of nematode damage • Causes galls on roots and pods Lesion Nematode: • Causes 10% of nematode damage • Emerging problem after cotton and grass crops

7. Root-Knot Nematode Life Stages

8. Female Root-Knot with Eggs, Root is the Size of a Pinhead

9. Ways Root-Knot and Lesion Nematodes Affect Peanut • Reduced nutrient and water uptake due to stunt plant roots • Redirected plant manufactured food resources for nematode growth • Peanut peg abortion and poor development of surviving pegs/pods • Providing an entrance for disease and pod-rotting organisms • Reducing nut quality hence final peanut grades

10. Foliar Damage Symptoms Caused By Nematodes • Premature wilting in spots • Leaf yellowing • Plant stunting • Irregular (oval) symptom patterns • Plant death at mid to late season

11. Root-Knot Nematode DamageBrowning And Wilted Spots

12. Root-Knot DamageLate Season Plant Death

13. Root-Knot Nematode Damage Pod Galling and Rotting

14. Lesion Nematode - Plant Death is Seldom Evident

15. Lesion Nematode DamageA Dull Yellowing

16. Lesion Nematode DamageBrown Spots on Pods

17. Lesion Nematode Damage Brown Spots and Pod Rotting

18. Know Your Nematodes For Accurate Management Decisions • Each nematode species is ‘different’ • Management techniques should be ‘nematode species specific’ • Rotations must be planned for ‘key’ nematode pests • Nematicide rates can be adjusted for individual nematode species

19. Nematode Soil Samples Problem ID • Take anytime during crop maturity and prior to planting, the best time is soon after harvest • Can take these samples when collecting soil fertility samples • Split soil samples, one for nematode analysis and one for fertility (1 pint each) • Remember extra care is required for nematode samples

20. Tools for Taking Nematode Soil Samples • Choice of sampling tools • Plastic bag • Permanent ink marker • Bucket

21. Centered Grid Intersected Grid Zig Zag Random Ten Acre Sampling Patterns(Take 15 To 20 Cores)

22. Handling Nematode Soil Samples • Sample 10-12” deep if possible • Sample only in moist soils – Not dry or wet • Only use plastic bags to prevent soil drying • Do not allow samples to become hot or cold • Remember, nematodes are living animals, treat samples gently

23. Management Methods Nematicides Plant Resistance Sanitation Rotation

24. Peanut NematicidesOnly a Few Choices!! • Telone II - Dow AgroSciences • Temik 15G - Bayer CropScience • Nemacur - Bayer CropScience (cancellation notice for 2007)

25. Telone II Product Information • Sold as liquid formulation only • Movement by fumigant action in the soil • Applied preplant injected to 14 inches depth (do not apply in clay subsoil) • May be applied as a single in-row chisel, dual chisels or broadcast • Telone II kills nematodes on contact

26. Temik 15G Product Information • Sold only as a 15% granular formulation • Formulation may be corncob (lighter) or clay based • Used at-planting as a band or in-furrow treatment • May be applied as an at-pegging time treatment

27. Telone and Temik Are Restricted Use Pesticides • Reminder - both products have specific use restrictions!! • Temik has special reporting and use requirements in Florida • Temik 15G forms and other requirements can be found at FDACS Web Site -http://www.safepesticideuse.com

28. Nematicide Recommendations • High nematode levels or continuous peanut: Telone II at 6 gal./A + Temik 15G at 10 lb./A (at pegging) • Moderate nematode levels: Telone II at 6 gal./A or Temik 15G at 10 lb./A (at planting) and Temik at 10 lb./A (at pegging) • Low nematode levels: Temik 15G at 7-10 lb./A (at planting)

29. ‘Other’ Nematicides • Mocap - Bayer CropScience • Counter - BASF • Furadan- FMC • Vapam - AmVac Corporation • Chlor-O-Pic - Hendrix and Dial

30. Center Untreated Strip Telone II Applied on Either Side

31. Telone Treatment (Background) and Untreated Control (Foreground)

32. Peanut Resistance/Tolerance • No commercially adapted varieties to Florida production conditions • Active pursuit of root-knot nematode resistance is being made in Florida peanut breeding programs • Early data indicate some tolerance to nematode damage in some varieties: Southern Runner, AP3, Hull, and DP1

33. Sanitation Notes • Prevent crop regrowth (peanut, cotton) to stop nematode population increase in the fall • Control of nematode host weeds including morningglories, florida pusley, tropical spiderwort, and nutsedge • Implement perennial grass rotation (bahiagrass) with good weed control

34. Sanitation - Prevent Volunteer Peanut Growth

35. Weed Hosts of Nematodes in Bahiagrass Pasture

36. Crop Rotations to Manage Nematodes in Peanut • Plan rotations to manage the peanut root-knot nematode, the ‘key’ nematode pest on peanut • Lesion nematodes are less damaging to peanut but rotation is difficult due to wide host range • Hence, nematicidal control may be needed for lesion nematodes, but at lower rates than for root-knot

37. Crop Rotation to Reduce Peanut Root-Knot Nematodes • Grass crops are the best for reducing root-knot nematode problems • Among the grass crops, bahiagrass is a non-host and provides other good advantages as well • Cotton is an excellent rotation crop for managing the peanut root-knot nematode

38. Crop Rotation to ReduceLesion Nematodes • It is difficult to reduce lesion nematodes using crop rotations • Lesion nematodes reproduce well on most grass crops • Bahiagrass is a non-host • Cotton, tobacco and soybean are moderate hosts

39. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

40. FAQ – My Bahiagrass Rotation did not Prevent Nematode Damage? Bahiagrass is non-host for root-knot and lesion nematodes, but the rotation is not perfect: • Length of bahiagrass rotation must generally be a minimum of three years • Weed Management is sometimes more important than rotation length with bahiagrass • Weed hosts of nematodes in bahiagrass must be controlled or nematodes remain to damage a future peanut crop

41. FAQ - What About GPS/GIS VariableRate Nematicide Application? This technology is available, however, the economics are still uncertain? System Needs: • Accurate nematode population distribution map of a field, alternatively, a yield monitor map linked to nematode populations • GPS unit programmed for nematicide rate based on the nematode distribution map • Equipment suitable for nematicide rate adjustment

42. Root-Knot Nematode Numbers in a 100 Acre Field 2.5 Acre Grid Pattern, Nematodes/ ¼ Pint Soil

43. For More Information • Visit the UF/IFAS EDIS Web Site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu • Search ‘Peanut Nematodes’