Penetration and Postinfection Development of Meloidogyne incognita on Cotton as Affected by Glomus intraradices and Phosphorus.

The influence of the vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices (Gi) and superphosphate (P) on penetration, development, and reproduction of Meloidogyne incognita (Mi) was studied on the Mi-susceptible cotton cultivar Stoneville 213 in an environmental chamber at 28 C. Plants were inoculated with Mi eggs at planting or after 28 days and destructively sampled 7, 14, 21, and 28 days after nematode inoculation. Mi penetration after 7 days was similar in all treatments at either inoculation interval. At 28 days, however, nematode numbers were least in mycorrhizal root systems and greatest in root systems grown with supplemental P. The rate of development of second-stage juveniles to ovipositing females was unaffected by Gi or P when Mi was added at planting, but was delayed in mycorrhizal root systems when Mi was added 28 days after planting. Nematode reproduction was lower in mycorrhizal than in nonmycorrhizal root systems at both Mi inoculation intervals. Nematode reproduction was stimulated by P when Mi was added at planting, but was similar to reproduction in the low P nonmycorrhizal treatment when Mi was added 28 days after planting. Eggs per female were increased by P fertility when Mi was added at planting.