Organic Amendments for Pathogen and Nematode Control.

The loss of methyl bromide as a soil fumigant and minimal advances in the development and registration of new chemical fumigants has resulted in a resurgence of interest in the application of organic amendments (OAs) for soilborne plant pathogen and plant-parasitic nematode management. Significant progress has been made in the characterization of OAs, application of strategies for their use, and elucidation of mechanisms by which they suppress soilborne pests. Nonetheless, their utility is limited by the variability of disease control, expense, and the logistics of introducing them into crop production systems.

Susceptibility of Seven Caladium ( × ) Cultivars to , , , , and .

There is no known root-knot nematode ( spp.) resistance in caladium ( × ), an ornamental foliage crop grown from tubers, but cultivars have been reported to differ in their level of susceptibility. Research was conducted to assess the relative susceptibility of seven widely grown caladium cultivars to the species of which occur in the southeastern United States, where caladium cultivars are commonly planted in commercial and residential landscapes.

Grafting and Paladin Pic-21 for Nematode and Weed Management in Vegetable Production.

Two years of field trials conducted in a infested field evaluated grafting and Paladin Pic-21 (dimethyl disulfide:chloropicrin [DMDS:Pic] 79:21) for root-knot nematode and weed control in tomato and melon. Tomato rootstocks evaluated were; 'TX301', 'Multifort', and 'Aloha'. 'Florida 47' was the scion and the nongrafted control.

Evaluation of Steam and Soil Solarization for Control in Florida Floriculture Crops.

Steam and soil solarization were investigated for control of the root-knot nematode in 2 yr of field trials on a commercial flower farm in Florida. The objective was to determine if preplant steam treatments in combination with solarization, or solarization alone effectively controlled nematodes compared to methyl bromide (MeBr). Trials were conducted in a field with naturally occurring populations of .

Pasteuria penetrans for Control of Meloidogyne incognita on Tomato and Cucumber, and M. arenaria on Snapdragon.

Meloidogyne incognita and Meloidogyne arenaria are important parasitic nematodes of vegetable and ornamental crops. Microplot and greenhouse experiments were conducted to test commercial formulations of the biocontrol agent Pasteuria penetrans for control of M. incognita on tomato and cucumber and M.