Effects of Meloidogyne incognita on Forage Yields of Four Annual Clovers. G. L. Windham, Research Plant Pathologist, USDA-ARS-CSRL, Forage Research Unit, Mississippi State, MS 39762. G. A. Pederson, Research Geneticist, USDA-ARS-CSRL, Forage Research Unit, Mississippi State, MS 39762. Plant Dis. 72:152-154. Accepted for publication 14 September 1987. This article is in the public domain and not copyrightable. It may be freely reprinted with customary crediting of the source. The American Phytopathological Society, 1988. DOI: 10.1094/PD-72-0152.

The effects of the southern root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) on productivity of four annual clover cultivars were determined by comparing yields in infested and noninfested plots during 1986 and 1987. The clover cultivars included Bigbee berseem, Chief and Tibbee crimson, and Yuchi arrowleaf. Highest numbers of M. incognita eggs at the final sampling dates were recovered from Bigbee plots both years. In May 1987, egg numbers were higher than initial levels for Bigbee, Chief, and Tibbee. Differences (P = 0.05) between yields of control and nematode-infested plots were found for Bigbee on 26 March 1986 and 29 April 1987 and for total forage yields in 1986. Maximum yield losses for Yuchi were 29.9% on 26 February 1986 and 28.8% (P = 0.05) on 19 March 1987, respectively. Although Yuchi yields were initially suppressed each year, total forage yields of nematode-infected plants were not different (P = 0.05) from those of the control at later harvest dates. Tibbee and Chief appeared to be relatively tolerant to M. incognita.