Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2026
High and Low Throughput Screens with Root-knot Nematodes Meloidogyne spp.
Published on: March 12, 2012
Root-knot nematode damage to a cucurbit double crop is increased by chloropicrin fumigation on the previous tomato
Johan A Desaeger1, Hung X Bui1
1Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), Wimauma, FL, USA.
Background:
Double-cropping is a common practice in vegetable plasticulture whereby a second crop is planted on the same plastic bed as the first crop. Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are one of the major soilborne constraints in double-cropped vegetables due to nematode population build-up on the first crop. We evaluated the effect of fumigant and non-fumigant nematicides applied on the first crop, on nematode infection and yield of the second crop in 10 field trials between 2017 and 2020. Fumigants were chloropicrin (Pic100), chloropicrin +1,3-D (PicClor60), and non-fumigant nematicides were oxamyl (Vydate), fluensulfone (Nimitz), fluopyram (Velum) and fluazaindolizine (Salibro). The first crop was tomato and double crops were cucumber, squash, zucchini, and cantaloupe.
Results:
Fumigation with chloropicrin on the first crop increased root-knot nematode damage on the double-crop at the end of the season in seven trials, while the opposite was noted in one trial, and no difference was noted in two trials. Fumigation with chloropicrin+1,3-D resulted in root-knot nematode damage less than chloropicrin but more than non-fumigated plots. Cucurbit yield was greater in non-fumigated beds in four trials, and in chloropicrin-treated beds in two trials. Fluensulfone reduced root-knot nematode damage on the second crop in five out of 10 trials.
Conclusion:
Our results indicate that chloropicrin applied on the tomato crop may lead to increased root-knot nematode damage on the double crop. More research is needed to understand the processes behind this, but it is possibly related to a reduction in natural nematode soil suppressiveness due to the broad-spectrum fungicidal activity of chloropicrin. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
