Evaluation of small grain cover crops as a sustainable nematode management strategy for Meloidogyne incognita and Rotylenchulus reniformis in the Southeastern U.S.

Journal of Nematology

Volume 57 (2025): Issue 1 (February 2025)

By:

Sloane McPeak, Kara Gordon, Bisho Lawaju and Kathy Lawrence

Open Access

|Jun 2025

Figures & Tables

Thirty-one winter small grain cultivars arranged in a randomized complete block design, photographed on 4 May 2021 in the Meloidogyne incognita field at the Plant Breeding Unit near Tallassee, Alabama.

Thirty-one winter small grain cultivars arranged in a randomized complete block design, photographed on 6 May 2021 in the Rotylenchulus reniformis field at the E.V. Smith Research Center near Shorter, Alabama.

Host susceptibility of Meloidogyne incognita on commercial cultivars and developmental lines of winter small grains tested under greenhouse conditions at the Plant Science Research Center in Auburn, AL measured by average number of eggs per gram of root and reproductive factors_

	Plant Science Research Center

Cultivar	*M. incognita*
	Eggs/g Root^v	Rf Value^w	Host Suitability
*Triticale (x Triticosecale* Wittmack)**
Doublet^y	2015 c^z	2.02^x	Suitable Host
Forerunner^y	183 g	0.38	Poor Host
EST 2640	2473 b	2.89	Suitable Host
EST 2767	628 e	1.35	Moderate Host
EST 2824	2606 c	1.5	Moderate Host
ORO 4370	2420 d	3.01	Suitable Host
ORO 4371	4366 a	2.95	Suitable Host
OG170039	393 f	0.75	Poor Host
*Crop Average*	*1886*	*1.86*
*Wheat (Triticum aestivum)*
KGAL^y	3579 a	3.68	Suitable Host
Summit 515^y	3761 a	2.86	Suitable Host
Willow Creek^y	1038 b	1.48	Moderate Host
ORO 4373	8773 a	3.93	Suitable Host
*Crop Average*	*4288*	*2.99*
*Oat (Avena sativa)*
Intimidator^y	682 b	1.08	Moderate Host
Shooter^y	1021 a	1.42	Moderate Host
ORO 4372	1666 c	0.89	Poor Host
*Crop Average*	*1123*	*1.13*
*Barley (Hordeum vulgare)*
Alba^y	476 d	1.61	Moderate Host
Verdant^y	403 e	1.11	Moderate Host
OG140760	5513 a	3.53	Suitable Host
OG140789	2155 b	2.84	Suitable Host
OG140797	1760 c	3.10	Suitable Host
*Crop Average*	*2061*	*2.44*
*Corn (Zea mays)*
DKC68-26	187	1.76	Moderate Host

Plant height, dry matter, grain yield, and total seasonal Meloidogyne incognita population numbers on small grain cover crops planted on 20 November 2019 and 13 November 2020 at the Plant Breeding Unit near Tallassee, AL_

Plant Breeding Unit 2019–2021

Cultivar^x	Plant Height (cm)	Fresh Biomass Weight (kg/ha)	Grain Yield (kg/ha)	*Total Seasonal M. incognita* (eggs/g root)**
*Triticale (x Triticosecale* Wittmack)**
Doublet^y	110 dc^z	21774	4516 a	5
Forerunner^y	125 abc	16436	1547 b	3
Round Table^y	113 bcd	10572	1586 b	1
158 EP^y	75 e	4947	3028 ab	2
OG8782	96 de	6500	2250 b	3
OG8783	135 ab	17008	2781 b	4
OG170004	132 abc	20387	1827 b	2
OG170012	146 a	19879	1942 b	2
OG170023	129 abc	24542	2146 b	3
OG170035	138 a	22057	2070 b	1
OG170036	132 abc	22037	2110 b	5
OG170039	128 abc	17457	2235 b	2
OG170040	134 ab	22564	1928 b	2
OG170043	131 abc	16744	1966 b	1
*Crop Average*	*123*	*17350*	*2281*	3
*Wheat (Triticum aestivum)*
KGAL^y	92 a	23670	2117 ab	2
Summit 515^y	65 c	3257	829 b	3
Willow Creek^y	92 a	14612	787 b	3
OG9484	79 b	12457	3077 a	4
*Crop Average*	82	*13499*	*1702*	3
*Oat (Avena sativa)*
Buck Forage^y	129 b	15917	6192	6
Intimidator^y	135 b	30606	1293	4
Shooter^y	153 a	47559	2667	2
TAMO 411^y	106 c	30147	4707	3
OG6285	130 b	25244	1992	5
*Crop Average*	*131*	*29895*	*3370*	4
*Barley (Hordeum vulgare)*
Alba^y	69 b	14629	2816	6
Verdant^y	82 a	17129	2007	10
OG140760	89 a	17735	2456	18
OG140789	64 b	20879	1881	10
OG140797	83 a	20733	2231	6
*Crop Average*	77	*18221*	*2278*	10
*Rye (Secale cereale)*
Abruzzi^y	174	35830	2464	1
Elbon^y	154	26665	1797	3
Goku^y	161	23154	2303	3
*Crop Average*	*163*	*28550*	*2188*	2

Plant height, dry matter, grain yield, and total seasonal Rotylenchulus reniformis population numbers on small grain cover crops planted on 3 October 2019 and 16 November 2020 at E_V_ Smith Research Center near Shorter, AL_

E.V. Smith Research Center 2019–2021

Cultivar^x	Plant Height (cm)	Fresh Biomass Weight (kg/ha)	Grain Yield (kg/ha)	*Total Seasonal R. reniformis* (eggs/g root)**
*Triticale (x Triticosecale* Wittmack)**
Doublet^y	101 b^z	18790	1979	4
Forerunner^y	116 ab	14307	1010	12
Round Table^y	100 b	13668	748	5
158 EP^y	69 c	8243	1381	5
OG8782	77 c	7618	1627	4
OG8783	117 ab	17677	1633	4
OG170004	119 a	14234	1069	2
OG170012	127 a	23228	1324	6
OG170023	120 a	14449	1037	7
OG170035	125 a	18912	1364	6
OG170036	119 a	18340	1239	3
OG170039	120 a	16876	1331	7
OG170040	119 a	17862	1061	6
OG170043	117 ab	17310	1346	5
*Crop Average*	*110*	*15822*	*1296*	5
*Wheat (Triticum aestivum)*
KGAL^y	85 a	19826	1154	3
Summit 515^y	51 b	4659	755	5
Willow Creek^y	65 ab	12621	1304	2
OG9484	84 a	11836	2126	3
*Crop Average*	71	*12235*	*1335*	3
*Oat (Avena sativa)*
Buck Forage^y	135 a	20768	1248 b	6
Intimidator^y	114 b	21105	861 b	7
Shooter^y	142 a	22853	984 b	8
TAMO 411^y	110 b	19386	3151 a	3
OG6285	132 a	13839	1359 b	5
*Crop Average*	*127*	*19590*	*1521*	6
*Barley (Hordeum vulgare)*
Alba^y	74 b	9669	2171 a	10
Verdant^y	71 b	9518	1256 b	6
OG140760	85 a	9801	1887 ab	4
OG140789	57 c	11866	1412 ab	7
OG140797	72 b	11612	1657 ab	5
*Crop Average*	72	*10493*	*1677*	6
*Rye (Secale cereale)*
Abruzzi^y	149	17467	2281a	7
Elbon^y	140	11905	1405b	7
Goku^y	145	10099	1178b	4
*Crop Average*	*144*	*13157*	*1621*	6

Plant height, fresh biomass yield and forage quality composite samples analysis of small grain cover crops in the on-farm forage trial in Germanton, NC, in the cool seasons of 2019–2020 and 2020–2021_

Cultivar	Plant Height (cm)	Fresh Biomass Weight (kg/ha)	% CP ^x^y	% ADF ^w^y	% NDF v^y	%TDN ^u^y	RFV^t^y
*Triticale (x Triticosecale* Wittmack)**
Doublet^z	118 bc^y	4060	20.85	27.75	48.15	68.50	131
Forerunner^z	125 bc	4283	24.30	26.30	45.90	67.50	140
Round Table^z	116 bc	3477	20.35	28.40	50.95	67.00	123
158 EP^z	82 d	3893	20.40	28.55	47.95	67.00	135
OG8782	97 d	5730	18.15	31.40	53.10	65.00	116
OG8783	143 ab	6350	21.70	28.30	48.40	68.50	132
OG170004	142 ab	5499	23.75	26.00	44.55	67.50	143
OG170012	157 a	5386	22.50	26.30	45.30	68.00	141
OG170023	141 ab	3923	23.05	25.65	41.45	69.50	155
OG170035	132 ab	4422	25.45	25.70	45.10	68.00	142
OG170036	135 ab	4379	22.35	26.60	44.55	69.50	143
OG170039	140 ab	5416	24.40	25.35	42.35	68.00	152
OG170040	136 ab	4828	25.85	27.35	42.05	66.00	150
OG170043	131 ab	4474	22.80	24.80	42.65	68.50	152
*Crop Average*	*128*	*4723*	*22.56*	*27.03*	*45.89*	*67.75*	*139*
*Wheat (Triticum aestivum)*
KGAL^z	100 ab	3578	23.75	24.55	41.45	68.50	158
Summit 515^z	75 b	3983	19.50	30.65	52.90	64.00	119
Willow Creek^z	119 a	3077	28.10	25.90	43.45	66.00	147
OG9484	86 b	3048	22.70	26.05	43.30	66.00	148
*Crop Average*	95	*3421*	*23.51*	*26.79*	*45.28*	*66.13*	*143*
*Oat (Avena sativa)*
Buck Forage^z	134	5535	22.65	24.85	42.65	70.00	152
Intimidator^z	134	4915	18.20	25.65	43.80	71.00	148
Shooter^z	139	6066	18.85	25.85	45.20	70.50	142
TAMO 411^z	111	7128	19.85	25.10	43.90	70.50	148
OG6285	131	5048	19.70	23.20	39.30	70.50	168
*Crop Average*	*130*	*5738*	*19.85*	*24.93*	*42.97*	*70.50*	*151*
*Barley (Hordeum vulgare)*
Alba^z	102 b	5474	18.15	25.50	44.10	69.50	146
Verdant^z	108 ab	5311	18.05	25.70	44.65	70.00	144
OG140760	113 a	4895	17.80	23.90	42.70	71.00	153
OG140789	91 c	4496	18.85	24.10	42.70	70.00	153
OG140797	109 ab	4378	19.45	25.80	43.85	70.00	146
*Crop Average*	*104*	*4911*	*18.46*	*25.00*	*43.60*	*69.70*	*148*
*Rye (Secale cereale)*
Abruzzi^z	166	9117	18.20	2720	49.30	68.50	128
Elbon^z	166	8656	19.20	25.75	46.00	67.50	141
Goku^z	169	8042	16.70	28.25	48.50	69.50	130
*Crop Average*	*167*	*8605*	*18.03*	*27.07*	*47.93*	*68.50*	*133*

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jofnem-2025-0021 | Journal eISSN: 2640-396X | Journal ISSN: 0022-300X

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Language: English

Submitted on: Jan 28, 2025

Published on: Jun 21, 2025

Published by: Society of Nematologists, Inc.

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 1 times per year

Keywords:

Integrated Nematode Management,

root-knot nematode,

reniform nematode,

small grain cover crops

Related subjects:

Life sciences,

Life sciences, other

© 2025 Sloane McPeak, Kara Gordon, Bisho Lawaju, Kathy Lawrence, published by Society of Nematologists, Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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Evaluation of small grain cover crops as a sustainable nematode management strategy for Meloidogyne incognita and Rotylenchulus reniformis in the Southeastern U.S.

Figures & Tables

Figure 1:

Figure 2:

Host susceptibility of Meloidogyne incognita on commercial cultivars and developmental lines of winter small grains tested under greenhouse conditions at the Plant Science Research Center in Auburn, AL measured by average number of eggs per gram of root and reproductive factors_

Plant height, dry matter, grain yield, and total seasonal Meloidogyne incognita population numbers on small grain cover crops planted on 20 November 2019 and 13 November 2020 at the Plant Breeding Unit near Tallassee, AL_

Plant height, dry matter, grain yield, and total seasonal Rotylenchulus reniformis population numbers on small grain cover crops planted on 3 October 2019 and 16 November 2020 at E_V_ Smith Research Center near Shorter, AL_

Plant height, fresh biomass yield and forage quality composite samples analysis of small grain cover crops in the on-farm forage trial in Germanton, NC, in the cool seasons of 2019–2020 and 2020–2021_

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