Control of Meloidogyne graminicola a Root-Knot Nematode Using Rice Plants as Trap Crops: Preliminary Results

Abstract

Meloidogyne graminicola is one of the most harmful organisms in rice cultivation throughout the world. This pest was detected for the first time in mainland Europe (Northern Italy) in 2016 and was subsequently added to the EPPO Alert List. To date, few methods are available for the control of M. graminicola and new solutions are required. In 2019, field trials using rice plants as trap crops were performed in a Lombardy region rice field where five plots for three different management approaches were staked out: (i) Uncultivated; (ii) Treated: three separate cycles of rice production where plants were sown and destroyed each time at the second leaf stage; (iii) Control: rice was sown and left to grow until the end of the three cycles in treated plots. The results showed that in the treated plots, the nematode density and the root gall index were lower than for the other two management approaches. Moreover, the plant population density and rice plant growth were higher than the uncultivated and control plots. In conclusion, the use of the trap crop technique for the control of M. graminicola gave good results and thus it could be a new phytosanitary measure to control this pest in rice crop areas.

Rice Root-Knot Nematode Meloidogyne graminicola (Nematoda: Chromadorea: Tylenchida: Meloidogynidae: Meloidogyne)

“…Meloidogyne graminicola has been reported in upland, irrigated, lowland and deep-water rice in South and Southeast Asia. It is also found in the United States and Latin America, and was recently reported in Africa and Europe (Bridge et al, 2005;Dutta et al, 2012;Kyndt et al, 2014;Mantelin et al, 2017;Sacchi et al, 2021).…”

Meloidogyne graminicola—A Threat to Rice Production: Review Update on Distribution, Biology, Identification, and Management

“…Alternative strategies, such as the “rice field flooding technique”, used by the Italian National Plant Protection Organization (Ministerial Decree of 6 July 2017) to control Mg , had some effect on the nematode population densities. Mg can still propagate under flooding conditions, but the damage induced by this nematode is lower than in shallow intermittently flooded fields [ 80 , 174 ]. Nevertheless, this method of control also has some limitations, as there are areas where this practice is not applicable due to the soil structure, characterized by a low water retention capacity, or restriction in water use.…”

“…Nevertheless, this method of control also has some limitations, as there are areas where this practice is not applicable due to the soil structure, characterized by a low water retention capacity, or restriction in water use. Another approach explored by Sacchi et al [ 174 ] was the use of rice plants as trap crops. Preliminary results indicate that trap cropping for the management of the rice RKN is efficient in most rice-growing areas, especially those with water shortages.…”

New occurrence of Meloidogyne graminicola (Nematoda: Meloidogyninae) from rice fields in Italy: Variability and phylogenetic relationships

“…belonging to the graminis group (Leite et al, 2020 ; Mattos et al, 2018 ). It is present in America, Africa, especially in Asia and recently in South Europe (EPPO, 2016 , 2018 ; Fanelli et al, 2017 ; Mantelin et al, 2017 ; Rusinque et al, 2021 ; Sacchi et al, 2021 ). In Europe, M. graminicola was detected for the first time in upland and lowland rice fields in the Piedmont region (Northern Italy) in 2016 and immediately added to the EPPO Alert List.…”

“…Italy is the main rice‐growing country in Europe, with 217,195 ha of rice (Ente Nazionale Risi, 2018 ). The most important rice‐growing area is the section of the Po River Valley straddling the regions of Lombardy and Piedmont with more than 202,000 hectares representing 93% of the Italian rice surface (Ente Nazionale Risi, 2018 ; Fanelli et al, 2017 ; Sacchi et al, 2020 , 2021 ).…”