<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>For decades there have been anecdotal claims of synergistic interactions between plant-parasitic nematodes and soil-borne fungi causing decline of productivity of passion fruit (<italic>Passiflora edulis</italic>) orchards. An empirical confirmation of these disease complexes would impact disease management and plant breeding for resistance. To test those claims, we subjected passion fruit plants to single or concomitant parasitism by <italic>Meloidogyne javanica</italic> or <italic>M. incognita</italic> and <italic>Fusarium nirenbergiae</italic> or <italic>Neocosmospora</italic> sp. under controlled conditions. Non-inoculated plants served as control for the assays. The severity of shoot symptoms and variables related to plant growth, the extent of fungal lesions, and nematode reproduction were assessed to characterize the interactions. The shoot symptoms and effect on plant growth induced by the pathogens varied, but no synergy between the pathogens was observed. Moreover, the volume of tissue lesioned by the fungi was not affected by co-parasitism of the nematodes. Conversely, plant resistance to the nematodes was not affected by co-parasitism of the fungi. The interactions <italic>M. incognita</italic>-<italic>F. nirenbergiae</italic>, <italic>M. incognita-Neocosmospora</italic> sp., <italic>M. javanica-F</italic>. <italic>nirenbergiae</italic>, and <italic>M. javanica-Neocosmospora</italic> sp. were not synergistic as previously claimed, but instead neutral.</p></abstract>

For decades there have been anecdotal claims of synergistic interactions between plant-parasitic nematodes and soil-borne fungi causing decline of productivity of passion fruit (Passiflora edulis) orchards. An empirical confirmation of these disease complexes would impact disease management and plant breeding for resistance. To test those claims, we subjected passion fruit plants to single or concomitant parasitism by Meloidogyne javanica or M. incognita and Fusarium nirenbergiae or Neocosmospora sp. under controlled conditions. Non-inoculated plants served as control for the assays. The severity of shoot symptoms and variables related to plant growth, the extent of fungal lesions, and nematode reproduction were assessed to characterize the interactions. The shoot symptoms and effect on plant growth induced by the pathogens varied, but no synergy between the pathogens was observed. Moreover, the volume of tissue lesioned by the fungi was not affected by co-parasitism of the nematodes. Conversely, plant resistance to the nematodes was not affected by co-parasitism of the fungi. The interactions M. incognita-F. nirenbergiae, M. incognita-Neocosmospora sp., M. javanica-F. nirenbergiae, and M. javanica-Neocosmospora sp. were not synergistic as previously claimed, but instead neutral.

Characterizing the Interaction Between Root-knot Nematodes and Soil-borne Fungi which are Pathogenic to Passion Fruit (<italic>Passiflora edulis</italic>)

Journal of Nematology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Characterizing the Interaction Between Root-knot Nematodes and Soil-borne Fungi which are Pathogenic to Passion Fruit ()

For decades there have been anecdotal claims of synergistic interactions between plant-parasitic nematodes and soil-borne fungi causing decline of productivity...

Characterizing the Interaction Between Root-knot Nematodes and Soil-borne Fungi which are Pathogenic to Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis)

Article Category: Research paper

Published Online: Jul 20, 2022

Page range: -

Received: Jan 09, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jofnem-2022-0023

Keywords
disease complex, interaction, passion fruit, root-knot nematodes, soilborne fungi, synergistic interaction

© 2022 Mangeiro et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Characterizing the Interaction Between Root-knot Nematodes and Soil-borne Fungi which are Pathogenic to Passion Fruit (Passiflora edulis)

Article Category: Research paper

Published Online: Jul 20, 2022

Page range: -

Received: Jan 09, 2022

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jofnem-2022-0023

Keywordsdisease complex, interaction, passion fruit, root-knot nematodes, soilborne fungi, synergistic interaction

© 2022 Mangeiro et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
disease complex, interaction, passion fruit, root-knot nematodes, soilborne fungi, synergistic interaction