Post-Plant Nematicides for the Control of Root Lesion Nematode in Red Raspberry

To identify a post-plant nematicide to control root lesion nematode [RLN (Pratylenchus penetrans)] in red raspberry (Rubus idaeus), a number of nematicides was tested in soil-only and plant-based experiments. In soil-only experiments, soil naturally infested with RLN was drenched with the nematicides and nematode survival was assessed 7 and 14 days after treatment. Fosthiazate and oxamyl reduced RLN recovery 92% and 52% across trials and sampling times, respectively, compared with the nontreated control. Other nematicides that resulted in moderate, and sometimes inconsistent, control of RLN were soapbark (Quillaja saponaria) saponins, 1,3-dichloropropene, and methomyl. In plant-based experiments, ‘Meeker’ red raspberry was established in pots with RLN-infested soil mixed with greenhouse soil and the nematicides were applied as soil drenches or as a foliar application. Nematode recovery and cane and root weights were quantified as measurements of nematicide toxicity and phytotoxicity, respectively. Similar to soilonly experiments, fosthiazate and oxamyl were the most effective nematicides tested in reducing RLN population densities in established red raspberry. Fosthiazate and oxamyl significantly reduced RLN per gram dry root population densities by 97% and 87%, respectively, compared with the infested, nontreated control. None of the other nematicides reduced RLN population densities compared with the infested, nontreated controls. There was no phytotoxicity to red raspberry associated with any of the nematicides.