Relative Susceptibility of Tomato and Pepper Crops to Root-Knot Nematodes in Georgia, Fall 2023

Southern root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita) are sedentary endoparasites that reduce crop yield. These pests are problematic in U.S. vegetable production where sandy soils and plasticulture favor nematode reproduction. In Georgia multiple crops are grown under the same plastic mulch over multiple seasons and tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) or pepper (Capsicum annuum) are selected as the first crop. We evaluated the susceptibility of pepper cultivar ‘Regulator’ and tomato cultivar ‘STM2255’ to root-knot nematodes, with and without 1,3-dichloropropene. Results showed lower nematode populations and galling severity in ‘Regulator’ compared to ‘STM2255,’ demonstrating that selecting the less-susceptible pepper cultivar can reduce nematode population further.