Host range of a California sting nematode population

Recently, sting nematodes were discovered associated with dying turfgrass i n several golf courses in Coachella Valley, Calif, Based on their morpholog y and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) rDNA restriction pattern, the pests were identified as Belonolaimus longicaudatus Rau This study was undertake n to determine the host status of 60 different plant species and cultivars for a California population of B. longicaudatus. The host range tests were conducted under greenhouse conditions at 25 +/- 2 degreesC and ambient ligh t. At the second-leaf stage, each pot was infested with 55 +/- 12 adults or fourth-stage juveniles per 150 g of blow sand, The population densities de termined after 7 weeks of incubation qualified >80 % of the plants tested a s good hosts with a reproduction factor (Rf = Pf/Pi) > 4. The majority of t hose were grasses, although reproduction was best on Gossypium hirsutum L. with Rf = 58.6. While Capsicum annuum L., Medicago sativa L., Arachis hypog aea L., Euphorbia glyptosperma Engelm., Cucumis sativus L., and Daucus caro ta L, were less suitable host plants with Rf < 4, only Abelmoschus esculent us (L,) Moench, Citrullus lanatus Thunb,, and Nicotiana tabacum L. were non hosts among the tested species, This sting nematode population had a high r eproductive fitness on a majority of species tested and must be considered a major threat for most agricultural and horticultural crops grown in sandy soils.