Increasing Incidence of Meloidogyne arenaria on Flue-Cured Tobacco in South Carolina. B. A. Fortnum, Assistant Professor, Department of Plant Pathology and Physiology, Clemson University, Pee Dee Research and Education Center, Florence, SC 29503. J. P. Krausz, Associate Professor, Department of Plant Pathology and Physiology, Clemson University, Pee Dee Research and Education Center, Florence, SC 29503, and N. G. Conrad, Agricultural Chemical Services, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29631. Plant Dis. 68:244-245. Accepted for publication 19 September 1983. Copyright 1984 The American Phytopathological Society. DOI: 10.1094/PD-68-244.

Disease loss in flue-cured tobacco caused by the root-knot nematode increased fourfold over the previous year during an epiphytotic in South Carolina. Nematode morphological characteristics and a host range differential test confirmed the widespread occurrence of Meloidogyne arenaria and M. incognita. Previously, M. arenaria was rarely isolated from flue-cured tobacco in South Carolina. Increased losses caused by the root-knot nematode are expected in the future.