Plant-Parasitic Nematodes and their Effects on Ornamental Plants: A Review

Worldwide, the ornamental plant industry is estimated to be valued at $70 billion, with the United States’ ornamental plant industry valued at $4.8 billion in 2020. Ornamental plants are cultivated for numerous reasons worldwide, such as decorative, medicinal, social, and utility purposes, making the ornamental field a high growth industry. One of the main pathogen groups affecting the yield and growth of the ornamental plant industry is plant-parasitic nematodes, which are microscopic roundworms that feed on plant parts causing significant yield loss. There are many kinds of plant-parasitic nematodes that affect ornamental plants, with the main genera being Meloidogyne spp., Aphelenchoides spp., Paratylenchus spp., Pratylenchus spp., Helicotylenchus spp., Radopholus spp., Xiphinema spp., Trichodorus spp., Paratrichodorus spp., Rotylenchulus spp., and Longidorus spp. The aim of this review is to focus on the effects, hosts, and symptoms of these major plant-parasitic nematodes on ornamental plants and synthesize current management strategies in the ornamental plant industry.