The southern root-knot nematode (RKN), Meloidogyne incognita, is particularly difficult to manage because of high susceptibility of all commercial cucumber (Cucumis sativus) cultivars to this nematode. Growers have conventionally relied on nematicide applications to control RKN. Two microplot experiments were conducted in which four nonfumigant nematicides, oxamyl, fluopyram, fluensulfone, and fluazaindolizine, were examined for their efficacy in reducing gall severity and postharvest soil nematode numbers in microplots inoculated with increasing inoculation densities (1,000, 5,000, 10,000, and 20,000 nematodes/microplot), and improving growth and yield of cucumber. Nematicides were applied 1 day prior to transplanting cucumber seedlings, except fluensulfone, which was applied 7 days before transplanting. At harvest, root gall indices differed significantly (P < 0.0001) among nematode inoculation densities and nematicides. All four nematicides were effective in reducing the root gall index when compared with the untreated control on a consistent basis at all M. incognita inoculation densities. At the lowest inoculation density, no significant difference in gall index or final population density was observed among nematicides; however, gall index increased with increasing nematode inoculation densities in nematicide-treated microplots. Correlations between gall index and inoculation density clearly showed that soil treatment with fluensulfone, fluazaindolizine, or fluopyram was more effective in reducing gall severity than treatment with oxamyl. Regression analysis also indicated no significant effect of nematode inoculation densities on yield of cucumber treated with these nematicides. Results of this study will provide guidance for improving nematicide efficiencies in soil with varying inoculation densities of RKN.
Keywords: Meloidogyne incognita; cucumber; nonfumigant nematicides.