Assessing the damage potential of Pratylenchus penetrans on red raspberry cultivars

Ziduan Han

Washington State is the nation's largest producer of red raspberries for processing. The root lesion nematode, Pratylenchus penetrans, is a major constraint to the industry, shortening the productive lifespan of many plantings. Current management of P. penetrans relies upon preplant soil fumigation, but federal regulations of soil fumigants have made this practice increasingly difficult and expensive for growers. In addition, few post-plant nematode management options exist. A better understanding of the damage potential of this nematode to raspberry is necessary to guide future management recommendations. The objective of this project was to determine whether several popular raspberry cultivars in Washington State, Cascade Bounty, Chemainus, Meeker and Saanich, differ in susceptibility to P. penetrans. Field trials in existing plantings of these cultivars were established in northwest Washington. Treated plots were sprayed with the nematicides oxamyl and fosthiazate in the spring and fall of 2011 and 2012, while non-treated plots received no nematicides. Pratylenchus penetrans population densities in soil and root samples were assessed before and after each nematicide application. Pratylenchus penetrans root population densities in nematicide-treated plots were consistently v lower than those in non-treated plots at all the samplings. However, P. penetrans soil population densities in non-treated plots varied during the two year study. In summer 2011, yield of raspberry fruit in nematicide-treated plots was not significantly greater than in non-treated plots in any of the trials. In summer 2012, treated plots in the 'Chemainus' and 'Meeker' 1 trials had reduced yields along with increased fine root biomass compared to non-treated plots. In addition, in a microplot study evaluating the damage potential for P. penetrans to newly established 'Meeker' plants in a local silt loam soil and a sandy loam soil, P. penetrans had more severe damage potential to raspberry plant growth in the sandy loam soil than in the silt loam soil, but populations of P. penetrans increased faster in the silt loam soil than the sandy loam soil.

Assessing the damage potential of Pratylenchus penetrans on red raspberry cultivars

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