Host status of sweetpotato cultivars and germplasm to Rotylenchulus reniformis

Timothy S. Miller; Tristan T. Watson

doi:10.2478/jofnem-2026-0032

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Host status of sweetpotato cultivars and germplasm to Rotylenchulus reniformis

Journal of Nematology

Volume 58 (2026): Issue 1 (February 2026)

By: Timothy S. Miller and Tristan T. Watson

Open Access

|Oct 2026

Abstract

Rotylenchulus reniformis (the reniform nematode) is an emerging pest of sweetpotato. The aim of this study is to (i) determine the host status of sweetpotato cultivars to R. reniformis, (ii) identify potential sources of resistance among sweetpotato germplasm, and (iii) evaluate R. reniformis parasitism on root biomass partitioning. Greenhouse trials evaluated R. reniformis reproduction and sweetpotato root weight with 10 commercial cultivars and 28 plant introductions (PIs). All commercial cultivars supported similar nematode reproduction to the susceptible control ‘Beauregard’, indicating widespread susceptibility. Four PIs (‘Saing-Mi’, ‘Regal’, ‘Morada Sombica’, and ‘Tainung 63’) had lower nematode reproduction compared to ‘Beauregard’. Rotylenchulus reniformis infection increased fibrous root biomass by 28.4%, yet reduced storage root weight by an average of 30.4%, demonstrating yield penalties associated with R. reniformis parasitism. This is the first report identifying ‘Covington’ and ‘Orleans’ as highly susceptible to R. reniformis and confirms that R. reniformis significantly inhibits storage root production. These findings emphasize the negative impact of R. reniformis in sweetpotato production and highlight the lack of available host resistance.

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Articles in this issue

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jofnem-2026-0032 | Journal eISSN: 2640-396X | Journal ISSN: 0022-300X

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Language: English

Page range: 532 - 540

Submitted on: Mar 2, 2026

Accepted on: Jul 13, 2026

Published on: Oct 19, 2026

Published by: Society of Nematologists, Inc.

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

Keywords:

Host resistance,

Rotylenchulus reniformis,

Sweetpotato

Related subjects:

Life sciences,

Life sciences, other

© 2026 Timothy S. Miller, Tristan T. Watson, published by Society of Nematologists, Inc.
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 License.

Volume 58 (2026): Issue 1 (February 2026)