Plant Health
Nematodes |
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Potato Cyst Nematode (Globodera pallida (Stone) Behrens)
Biology and Ecology
Host Range
- Very narrow host range: potato, tomato, eggplant and some weeds
Dispersal
- Can be spread into new areas as cysts on: seed potatoes, nursery stock, flower bulbs, farm equipment, or any soil-bearing surface
- Natural movement is limited to a few millimeters except for possible water and wind borne movement
Lifecycle
- Nematodes reproduce sexually; males are attracted to females by a pheromone sex attractant
- Nematodes may mate several times
- Annual population decline in the absence of a host varies from 18% in cold soils (Scotland) to 50% in warm soils, with an average decline rate about 30%
- Egg hatch is stimulated by host root diffusate (60-80%). Some eggs do not hatch until subsequent years. Nematodes may mate several times
- Juveniles move into root, establish feeding sites, and undergo three molts
- Females form cysts which may contain 200-600 eggs and can remain dormant for up to 30 years
Symptoms on Potatoes
- Patches of poor growth occur generally in the crop, sometimes with yellowing, wilting or death of the foliage
- Even with minor symptoms on the foliage, the size of the tubers can be reduced
- If left uncontrolled, PCN can cause up to 80 percent yield loss