Return to Diseases

Root knot nematode (Meloidogyne hapla and M. incognita) infects a broad range of host plants. Aboveground symptoms include stunting, chlorosis (yellowing), and reduced yields; roots show characteristic knots or galls. Root knot nematodes are microscopic roundworms that can move through moist soils as juveniles. Mature female nematodes become permanently attached to plant roots and produce thousands of eggs that are released when females die.

Root knot nematode symptoms on summer squash roots.

(Photo: Kenneth Seebold, University of Kentucky)

Management:

• Select resistant varieties.
• Use non-fumigant nematicides for suppression.
• Immediately remove plant material, especially roots, from structures at season end.
• Consider fumigation, rotation with nonhosts, or solarization.

Return to Diseases