Interactions between the potato cyst nematodes, Globodera pallida, G. rostochiensis, and soil-borne fungus, Rhizoctonia solani (AG3), diseases of potatoes in the glasshouse and the field

This is the first report of a positive interaction between the nematode Globodera pallida and Rhizoctonia solani diseases of potato, and is an important step in the general understanding of interactions between nematodes and fungal diseases. One glasshouse and two field experiments were performed to investigate interactions between G. pallida or G. rostochiensis and R. solani diseases of potatoes. The glasshouse experiment investigated the independent and combined effects of G. pallida or G. rostochiensis and R. solani on the growth of plants and R. solani disease severity. In the glasshouse experiment the combined effects of G. pallida with R. solani or G. rostochiensis with R. solani showed greater R. solani diseases of potatoes compared with only R. solani. The field experiments examined the development of R. solani diseases on potatoes grown in soil with potato cyst nematode population densities ranging from eight to 140 and four to 50 eggs (g soil)(-1) in the years 2006 and 2007, respectively. The 2006 field experiment revealed a clear positive relationship between initial population densities of G. pallida and the incidence of stolons infected by R. solani, subsequent stolon pruning and stem canker. In both field experiments a clear positive relationship was found between densities of nematodes within the potato roots and the incidence of infected stolons, stolon pruning and stem canker. Nematicide applied together with R. solani in the 2007 field experiment reduced the effect of G. pallida on the incidence and severity of diseases caused by R. solani.