We have performed an experiment to evaluate the efficacy of salt and hot water treatments in soil for managing situations where high-risk plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) are detected in farms and flower shops that cultivate foliage plants. The density of Pratylenchus penetrans was reduced by 100% with salt treatments of 20 and 40 kg m-2, while decreases of 95% and 99.8% were observed with treatments of 5 and 10 kg m-2, respectively. In the hot water treatment, Pratylenchus penetrans decreased by 97.6% compared to the initial density. The salt treatment resulted in a decrease in pH and an increase in electrical conductivity (EC) compared to untreated soil. However, other characteristics, including organic matter content, available phosphorus, total nitrogen (T-N) rate, and exchangeable cations, did not differ from the control. In the case of hot water treatment, all properties were similar to those in the untreated group. As a result of this study, salt applications of more than 20 kg m-2 and hot water at 96°C could serve as effective control methods when high-risk PPNs are detected in flower shops and greenhouses located in urban or near-urban areas.
Current investigations provide a comprehensive understanding of the occurrence and biodiversity of plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) in the major citrusproducing regions of Jeju Island, South Korea. Our survey identified five genera and five species of PPNs from 82 infested Citrus unshiu field samples collected across 116 sites in the Jeju provinces. Community analysis revealed the highest prevalence of PPNs (39.02%) at Namwon-eup, significantly driven by Tylenchulus semipenetrans, followed by Paratylenchus sp., Helicotylenchus sp., Meloidogyne sp., and Pratylenchus sp. Data indicate that all 82 sites were infested with T. semipenetrans (70.68%), marking a considerable increase in prevalence compared to previous surveys and posing a significant threat to citrus cultivation. The study results also demonstrate the influence of soil type on PPNs communities, revealing correlations between soil texture and nematode diversity. Citrus orchards cultivated in black clay loam soil exhibited significant PPN infestations. Overall, the PPN survey underscores the economic importance of monitoring citrus nematode infection rates and maintaining economic threshold levels in citrus production. It also emphasizes the need for developing effective management strategies to control PPNs, which are essential for maintaining crop yield and ensuring agricultural sustainability.