YELLOW NUTSEDGE RESPONSE TO SOUTHERN ROOT-KNOT NEMATODES, CHILE PEPPERS, AND METOLACHLOR

Greenhouse experiments showed that yellow nutsedge shoot number and sh oot and root dry weights were reduced by root-knot nematodes and chile peppers. Root-knot nematodes increased and chile peppers decreased th e number of yellow nutsedge tubers. Yellow nutsedge tuber germination was reduced by chile peppers but not by root-knot nematodes. Yellow nu tsedge established from root-knot nematode-infected tubers produced mo re tubers than noninfected tubers. Root-knot nematode populations beca me established on yellow nutsedge root systems when plants were establ ished from tubers previously cultured with root-knot nematodes. Metola chlor stunted chile peppers, eliminated yellow nutsedge, and influence d root-knot nematode populations through reduction of host plant root mass. However, when root-knot nematodes were present, yellow nutsedge tuber germination was not affected by metolachlor. This research indic ates that the pests do not exist independently and that their manageme nt may be interrelated.