Host status of some plant species to stem and bulb nematode (Ditylenchus dipsaci)

Stem and bulb nematode (D. dipsaci) is a species complex including more than 30 races with differentiating host spectrum. Onion race of D. dipsaci has a wide range of host spectrum. Records on host status are variable due to the different nematode populations and different cultivars of plant species. Hosting ability of 28 plant species was tested against to Turkish onion isolate of D. dipsaci under growth room conditions. Experiment was set up according to randomized plot design with four replications. Two hundred nematodes were inoculated onto seedlings and plants were evaluated for plant growth and nematode multiplication. Decrease in plant height of lettuce was statistically significantly dependent on nematode density. Plant weight of lettuce was also negatively related to nematode density. Similarly being not statistically significant, bean and strawberry had negative relationship for plant height and weight. Plant species of bean, cucumber, spinach, zucchini, melon, potato, leek, garlic, tobacco, strawberry, sweet pea, pepper, tomato, carrot, savoy cabbage, tulip, lettuce, chickpea, beet and onion was host to D. dipsaci.