VIEW ARTICLE

Meloidogyne graminis and Meloidogyne spp. on Zoysia; Infection, Reproduction, Disease Development, and Control. M. P. Grisham, Graduate Assistant, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 72701, Present address of senior author: U.S. Army; J. L. Dale(2), and R. D. Riggs(3). (2)(3)Professors, Department of Plant Pathology, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville 72701. Phytopathology 64:1485-1489. Accepted for publication 13 June 1974. DOI: 10.1094/Phyto-64-1485.

Root growth of three cultivars of zoysia and bermudagrass inoculated with Meloidogyne graminis in the greenhouse was adversely affected, but 4 and 7 mo after inoculation the fresh root and top wt of inoculated plants did not differ significantly from uninoculated plants. M. graminis larvae penetrated and infected Zoysia japonica, ‘Meyer’ and ‘Emerald’ zoysia, and ‘Sunturf’ bermudagrass. Optimum temp for penetration and development of M. graminis on Meyer zoysia was 28 C. Larvae of M. incognita and M. hapla penetrated and infected the three cultivars of zoysia. Histopathology of infection by M. incognita and M. hapla, including giant cell formation and other host tissue reactions, was similar. Hypertrophy of cells appeared to be the primary means means of tissue expansion surrounding M. graminis females, whereas hyperplasia was much more evident around feeding sites of M. incognita and M. hapla females. Hot water treatment of bare-rooted zoysia plants infected with M. graminis for 10 min at 50 C eradicated the nematode.