Host Suitability of Graminaceous Crop Cultivars for Isolates of Meloidogyne arenaria and M. incognita.

Twenty-two graminaceous plant cultivars were evaluated in the greenhouse for host suitability for three South Carolina isolates of Meloidogyne arenaria race 2 (Ma-R2) designated as Florence, Govan, and Pelion, a Florida isolate of M. arenaria race 1 (Ma-R1), and a South Carolina M. incognita race 3. Host suitability was determined by calculating egg mass index (EMI) reproduction factor (RF) (final egg numbers/initial egg numbers), and number of eggs per gram fresh root. Corn hybrids Pioneer 3147 and Northrup King 508 and oat cv. Florida 502 were nonhosts to all nematode isolates, as no egg masses or eggs were found in roots grown in infested soils. Oat cv. Coker 716 and grain sorghum cvs. Cherokee, Northrup King 2660, and Pioneer 8333 were poor hosts (RF < 1). Good (RF = 1.1-5.0) or excellent (RF > 5.0) hosts for both Ma-R1 and three Ma-R2 isolates included the following: barley cvs. Boone, Keowee, and Redhill; corn hybrid Pioneer 3389; oat cvs. Brooks and Coker 820; rye cvs. Bonel, Florida 401, and Wrens Abruzzi; triticale cvs. Beagle 82 and Florida 201 ; and wheat cvs. Coker 983, Florida 302, and Williams. All cultivars except Coker 716 oat were good or excellent hosts of M. incognita.