Induced Resistance to Root-Knot and Reniform Nematodes In Cotton

Description: This project evaluates the effect of simultaneous infection of cotton by Meloidogyne incognita and Rotylenchulus reniformis on nematode population levels to determine if induced resistance occurs. Split-root assays were used in greenhouse experiments which used root-knot and reniform resistant and susceptible genotypes of cotton. When inoculated with R. reniformis as a prior inoculum and M. incognita two weeks later as a challenge inoculum, the final population level of M. incognita was reduced compared to the level on plants that were not inoculated previously with R. reniformis.  That occurred on both reniform resistant and susceptible genotypes. To confirm these observations as induced resistance, experiments are being conducted to measure enzyme levels related to defense activation.