Parasitic nematode Meloidogyne incognita interactions with different Capsicum annum cultivars reveal the chemical constituents modulating root herbivory
The root-knot nematode is a soil-dwelling microscopic roundworm that feeds on the roots of economically important crops
Abstract
Distinctive above- or below-ground plant odours assist herbivores to locate their preferred hosts: The root-knot nematode (RKN), Meloidogyne incognita, is a soil-dwelling microscopic roundworm that feeds on the roots of a wide range of economically important crops.
This article presents results of a study conducted to test the hypothesis that root-knot nematodes (RKN) use chemical signals produced by the roots of pepper plants to find the plants. The investigators compared responses of infectious second stage immature nematodes to root plant compounds. Results indicate that volatile chemical signals are important for second stage immature nematodes to locate pepper plants, which opens the possibility for using chemicals emitted by pepper in the management of root-knot nematodes.
It is partly funded by the UK Department for International Development, a core donor of the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology.
Citation
Kihika R., Murungi L.K., Coyne D., Ng’ang’a M., Hassanali A., Teal P.E.A. and Torto B. (2017) Parasitic nematode Meloidogyne incognita interactions with different Capsicum annum cultivars reveal the chemical constituents modulating root herbivory. Scientific Reports 7, 2903. doi:2910.1038/s41598-41017-02379-41598.