Reproduction and Damage Potential of Five Geographical Ditylenchus africanus Populations on Peanut

Ditylenchus africanus affects peanut quality, which leads to downgrading of consignments and economic losses for producers. This nematode is difficult to control and host-plant resistance may be the most effective way to control it. Recently, the peanut breeding line PC254K1 has been identified as resistant to a D. africanus population from Vaalharts and will be included into the peanut breeding program. The objectives of our study were to compare the reproduction potential of D. africanus geographic populations from five different areas in the peanut production area of South Africa and to assess whether PC254K1 is resistant to all five D. africanus populations. Reproduction of the D. africanus populations was evaluated on peanut callus in growth cabinets at 21°C, 28°C, and 35°C. The peanut cv. Sellie was included in the study as the D. africanus-susceptible reference genotype in the greenhouse and microplots. Reproduction potential of all five of the D. africanus populations was similar. Resistance of PC254K1 was confirmed to all five D. africanus populations. The resistance trait of a D. africanus-resistant cultivar developed from PC254K1 should, therefore, be sustainable over the five localities tested during this study.