The root-lesion nematode Pratylenchus penetrans is a major pathogen of potato worldwide. Yield losses may be exacerbated by interaction with the fungus Verticillium dahliae in the potato early dying disease complex. Accurate identification and quantification of P. penetrans prior to planting are essential for developing effective integrated pest control measures. However, distinction between P. penetrans and other Pratylenchus spp. based on morphology is a tedious task. A SYBR Green I-based qPCR assay was developed to discriminate, identify, and quantify P. penetrans in field soil. P. penetrans-specific qPCR primers were designed from the D2-D3 region of the 28S rDNA. The specificity of the assay was evaluated using eight isolates of P. penetrans populations and 31 isolates of other nematode species. A standard curve relating threshold cycle and log values of nematode number was generated from artificially infested soils. There was a high correlation between the P. penetrans numbers artificially added to soil or estimated from naturally infested field soils by conventional methods, and the numbers quantified using the qPCR assay. Grinding the field soil prior to DNA extraction improved P. penetrans detection from soil. The qPCR assay will not only be useful for differentiating P. penetrans from mixed populations of Pratylenchus spp., but also for efficient detection and quantification of P. penetrans from field soil. The assay requires no expertise in nematode taxonomy and morphology, and may serve as a useful diagnostic tool in research, diagnostic labs, and extension services for pest management.

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Summary There is a growing interest in the use of natural products for crop production and protection. Humic acid is a well-known bioresource that intensifies soil functions and improves crop productivity. This review article provides a synopsis of the humic acid-plant-nematode association and the prospects for using humic acid as an alternative to chemical control of nematodes. Humic acid is known to have toxic and antagonistic effects against many plant-parasitic nematodes, including Meloidogyne spp., Rotylenchulus reniformis, Radopholus similis and Helicotylenchus multicinctus. The required dose for getting significant nematode control ranges from 0.04 to 2.0% concentration. Delivery methods like soil application or drenching, seedling root dip treatment and foliar spray on leaves are effective for nematode control. Humic acid controls plant-parasitic nematodes through various mechanisms including killing juveniles, inhibiting hatching, reducing nematode infectivity and reproduction, and inducing systemic resistance. Humic acid is compatible with bio-inoculants such as Azospirillum spp., phosphobacterium, Bacillus megaterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Trichoderma viride, Glomus spp., Pochonia chlamydosporia, Purpureocillium lilacinum and T. asperellum. These attributes of humic acid show a promising potential for use in nematode control. However, further work on bio-efficacy against a broad spectrum of plant-parasitic nematodes is needed.

Bioactive compounds extracted from agronomical plants have the potential to be ecologically safe and efficient alternatives to restricted broad-spectrum nematicides for managing root pests like Meloidogyne hapla. This study determined the effects of Curcuma longa and C. mangga leaf extracts and constituents on M. hapla infection, beneficial nematodes found in soil, and plant growth under glasshouse conditions over 350-420 degree-days (base 10°C). Incorporation of 60 and 120 g fresh leaves (kg soil) −1 of both Curcuma spp. suppressed the numbers of M. hapla infecting roots of tomato cv. Rutgers but increased beneficial nematodes in soil with minimal negative effect on plant health and growth. Curcuma mangga appears to be more favourable to beneficial nematodes than C. longa. Rhabditis, Acrobeloides and Eucephalobus were the dominant beneficial nematodes isolated from soils amended with Curcuma spp. The safe and selective activities of Curcuma spp. suggest potential for developing biologically integrated M. hapla management strategies.