Induction of Systemic Acquired Resistance by Rotylenchulus reniformis and Meloidogyne incognita in Cotton Following Separate and Concomitant Inoculations

Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) can be elicited by virulent anti avirulent pathogenic strains and SAR against plant-parasitic nematodes has been documented. Our objective was to determine whether co-infection of cotton by Meloidogyne incognita and Rotylenchulus reniformis affects the population level of either nematode compared to infection by each species individually. Split-root trials were conducted in which plants were inoculated with i) reniformis only, ii) M. incognita only, iii) both R. reniformis and M. incognita, or iv) no nematodes. Half of the root system was inoculated with R. reniformis or M. incognita on day 0 and the other half with M. incognita or R. reniformis on day 0 or day 14 depending on the experiment. Experiments were conducted on cotton cultivar DP 0935 B2RE (susceptible to both nematodes), LONREN-1 (germplasm line resistant to R. reniformis), and M-120 RNR (germplasm line resistant to M. incognita), and tests were terminated 8 wk after the last inoculation. Both soil (vermiform) and roots (egg) extracted from each half of the root system to determine the total nematode population levels, and root galling was rated on a 0 to 10 scale. Mixed models analysis and comparison of least squares means indicated no differences in root galling (except on LONREN-1) or population levels when the two nematode species were introduced on the same day. When M. incognita was introduced 14 d after R. reniformis, reduction in galling (36% on DP 0935 and 33% on LONREN-1) and M. incognita population levels (35% on DP 0935 and 45% on LONREN-1) were significant (P <= 0.05). When R. reniformis was inoculated 14 d after M. incognita, reduction in R. reniformis population levels (18% on DP 0935 and 26% on M-120) were significant. This study documents for the first time that infection of cotton by a nematode can elicit SAR to another nematode species.