Sensitivity of Bedding Plants to Southern Root-knot Nematode, Meloidogyne incognita Race 3.

Thirty-two cultivars of 10 commonly-grown bedding plants, representing eight families, were evaluated for their response to infection by the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita race 3, under greenhouse conditions. Four ageratum cultivars, two marigold, and two salvia cultivars were rated resistant after exposure for 8 weeks. Four begonia, four celosia, one dianthus, one verbena, one vinca, and three pansy cultivars were susceptible. Three salvia, one begonia, one gerber, one verbena, and three vinca cultivars were slightly susceptible with an average of </= 1 gall per plant. Nematodes, at two initial population densities, affected the dry weights of only a few cultivars. The diversity of annual bedding plant germplasm available may provide adequate sources of resistance to this race of root-knot nematode.