Southern root-knot nematode (SRKN, Meloidogyne incognita) is known to be responsible for annual economic losses of 38.2 million USD in cucumber cultivation in Korea. Nematicides are frequently used to manage SRKN in plastic greenhouses. A field experiment was conducted to assess the effect of a soil fumigant (dimethyl disulfide, DMDS) and a non-fumigant (fluopyram, FL) against SRKN during the winter fallow season in a greenhouse from October to December. Nematicidal efficacy was assessed at 43 days after treatment, and the root gall index was measured 4 months after transplanting cucumber seedlings. DMDS effectively reduced second-stage SRKN juvenile density with 91% control efficacy, while FL showed no control efficacy against SRKN. Root gall index values were significantly different (p=0.020) in DMDS treatment and controls at 1.0±0.00 and 4.3±0.58, respectively. This study showed that DMDS could be considered an effective nematicide for controlling SRKN in the fallow period in winter.

A survey of plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) was carried out in medicinal crop cultivated fields from July to August in 2023. Three-leaf ladybell, Adenophora triphylla var. japonica is a highly valued medicinal plant that is used to treat or prevent bronchitis, cough, cancer, and obesity in Korea. A. triphylla plants with small root-galls were observed in a field of Yeongju Agricultural Technology Center, which were identified as a root-knot nematode. Additional morphological and molecular analyses studies were performed and identified as Meloidogyne hapla, Northern root-knot nematode. Population densities of M. hapla ranged from 20~30 nematodes per 100 cm3 of soil. M. hapla was detected at lower densities in soil compared to other infected host crops, but there are concerns about damage to M. hapla since A. triphylla is cultivated for more than two years once planted. Our results indicate that A. triphylla roots damage by M. hapla were identifed, it is necessary to prepare control methods such as registration of applicable nematicides and crop rotation.

Root-knot nematode (RKN), Meloidogyne incognita, inflicts significant greenhouse crop damage, causing over 40% economic losses. While chemical agents effectively control RKN, they leave harmful residue in soil and crops. To address this issue, we investigated soil-derived entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) in this study. We assessed the nematicidal impact of ten EPF species through in vivo and in vitro tests. Beauveria bassiana JEF-503 exhibited nematicidal effectiveness exceeding 65% in both experimental settings. In a semi-field test using greenhouse pots, we experimented with the application of B. bassiana JEF-503 suspension during tomato growth, which is an uncommon practice in comparison to chemical treatments due to residue concerns. B. bassiana JEF-503 was applied during transplantation, and the same application was repeated four weeks later. JEF-503 One-time and abamectin treatments were used as control groups. The JEF-503 two-time application notably reduced root damage compared to single JEF-503 or abamectin treatment. In conclusion, JEF-503 offers a promising, residue-free, and environmentally friendly alternative to chemical agents for RKN management.

An increased use of organic phosphorous based chemical pesticides in domestic and overseas agriculture has resultedin emergence of tolerant strains of insect pests. These pests have spread throughout South Korea and are responsible forsignificant reduction in crop yields. Furthermore, as yet there is no effective way of controlling these insects or the damageresulting from pest infestation. To this end, we are attempting to develop biological control based methods to protectcrop plants against insect pests. A screen for biocontrol agents conducted in five farms that were heavily infested bynematodes in 2015-2016 identified Aspergillus niger F22 strain that was very effective against root-knot nematode. Afour-time treatment with A. niger F22 at an internal of ten days was able to reduce nematode population by 70-90%compared to untreated controls. The biocontrol agent was also more effective compared to ograno-phosphorus based pesticide,which caused a 30% reduction in nematode population. Notably, the extract (suspension concentrate) prepared from A.niger culture was equally effective in controlling the root-knot nematode and is currently being developed as a marketableproduct under the brand name “NAMAFREE”.

식물 기생성 선충은 토양 병해의 중요한 요인 중 하나로 작물 생산에 심각한 피해를 일으키지만 토양 속에서 일어나므로 그 피해를 판단하기 어렵다. 식물 기생성 선충은 주로 오이나 당근, 상추 등 많은 작물의 뿌리를 통하여 침입하는데 이때 생긴 상처를 통하여 토양 전염 병원균의 감염이 발생되고 또한 바이러스도 전파하여 작물의 많은 수확 손실을 가져온다. 본 연구에서는 뿌리혹선충 방제를 위한 친환 경적인 방법을 찾고자 유기성 부산물의 퇴비 처리에 의한 상추의 뿌리혹선충 방제 효과와 상추 수확량, 토양 화학성분 및 미생물밀도를 분석하였다. 퇴비를 처리하지 않은 무처리구와 퇴비 처리량(3, 10kg/3.3m2) 별 효과를 비교한 결과, 퇴비 처리량의 증가에 따라 상추의 뿌리혹선충 발병이 유의성 있 게 감소하였으며(R2=0.230, p=0.022) 따라서 수확량은 증가하였다(R2=0.360, p=0.004). 상추 근권 토 양 중 방선균의 밀도도 퇴비 처리에 의하여 약 10배 정도 유의성 있게 증가하였으며(R2=0.276, p=0.013), 방선균 밀도와 수확량 간에 높은 정의 상관관계가 확인되었다(R2=0.232, p=0.021). 각 처리 구의 토양 성분을 분석 비교한 결과 퇴비를 처리한 토양에서 유기물 함량과 양이온 교환용량이 높게 나 타났다. 이러한 결과로 볼 때 충분히 완숙된 유기성 부산물 퇴비 처리는 상추의 뿌리혹선충의 발병율을 낮추고 좋은 미생물인 방선균 밀도를 증가시킴과 동시에 토양의 지력도 향상시켜 상추 생산량을 증가 시킬 수 있는 친환경적이고 효과적인 뿌리혹선충 방제법 임을 알 수 있었다.

The nematicidal activity of Phellodendron amurense rhizome-derived materials (methanol extract) toward Meloidogyne Spp. second-stage juveniles (J2) and these effects on Cucumis sativus and Cucumis melo. Results were compared with these of fosthiazate. J2 was examined using 24-well plate tests, pot bioassays (C. sativa and C. melo) and Field trials (C. melo). In 24-well plate test with J2, methanol extract of P. amurense exhibited 98.7% and 69.8% mortality at 0.25 and 0.125 mg/ml toward J2, respectively, whereas Fosthiazate showed 100% mortality at 1 mg/ml. In pot bioassays with J2, P. amurense rhizome methanol extract gave 79.5% and 57.4% mortality at 2ℓ/m2(1,000x) and 2ℓ/m2(2,000x)/3kg soil from C. sativa and 73.7% and 53.3% mortality at 2ℓ/m2(1,000x) and 2ℓ/m2(2,000x)/3kg soil from C. melo, respectively. In Field test at C. melo in greenhouse showed 55.1% and 26.9% mortality at 2ℓ/m2(1,000x) and 2ℓ/m2(2,000x) applied soil. P. amurense rhizome-derived materials, merit further study as potential root-knot nematode control agents because of their nematicidal activity.

It is well known that the root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne spp., incite and aggravate the diseases caused by fungal and bacterial pathogens. The synergistic effects of the inoculation of Meloidogyne incognita combined with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici showed the greatly increased wilt symptoms developed on tomato plants compared to the inoculation of either of the two pests alone. For the biological control of the complex disease, a variety of bacterial isolates were tested for antagonistic effects to select ones that had both nematicidal and antifungal activities. Among forty plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) tested, Paenibacillus polymyxa G508 and G462 and P. lentimorbus G158 showed strong antifungal and nematicidal activities against F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and second-stage juveniles (J2) of M. incognita, respectively, and also inhibited egg hatch of the nematode. The addition of Paenibacillus strains into potted soil suppressed the Fusarium-wilt severity and root galling on tomato and increased plant growths. P. lentimorbus G158 were abundantly proliferated on tomato seeds and hypocotyls more than P. polymyxa G 462 and had no phytotoxic effect on tomato plant. Under the greenhouse conditions, seed treatment of P. lentimorbus G158 reduced wilt severity caused by Fusarium wilt-root knot disease complex and root gall formation and increased tomato growth compared to the untreated control. Root-galls caused by both pathogens treated with bacterial culture had fewer and smaller giant-cells than untreated control, and scanning electron microscopy revealed alteration and distortion of hyphal cell wall of F. oxysporum and lysis of M. incognita egg shell by the bacterial treatment. All of these results suggest the Paenibacillus strains, especially G158 may have a high potential developed as biological control agents for the complex disease.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of temperature and nematicides on endospore attachment characteristics of 2 Korean isolates of nematodeparasitic bacteria, Pasteuria penetrans. P. penetrans CJ-1 and 98-35 isolates and 3 species of root-knot nematodes in U. of Florida were used ; Meloidogyne incognita (MI), M. arenaria (MA), and M. javanica (MJ). Three nematicide levels of 2, 4, and 6 ppm were compared by treating Vydate and Nemacur in the endospore containing soils. The endospores were attached to the root-knot nematode juveniles by centrifugal method. Reproduction of the isolates was checked by observing root-knot nematode females harvested from inoculated tomato roots. 1. Among the two Korean isolates, 98-35 showed attachments to MI, MA, and MJ juveniles, but it could not reproduce in any species. CJ-1 reproduced on all the 3 tested root-knot nematode species. 2. Endospores pretreated in -14°C showed higher attachment rate than those pretreated in 4, 24, and 40℃. 3. Nemacur treatments significantly suppressed the attachment of the endospores to the juveniles, while Vydate treatment effects were negligible.

The toxicity of Kaempferia galanga rhizome materials and constituents against Meloidogyne incognita second‐stage juveniles (J2) and eggs were examined. The active principles of K. galanga rhizome were identified as the phenylpropanoids ethyl (E)‐cinnamate (EC, 1) and ethyl (E)‐p‐methoxycinnamate (EMC, 2) by spectroscopic analysis. Results were compared with those of carbofuran, fosthiazate, and metam‐sodium. In direct‐contact mortality bioassay, EC (LC50, 0.037 mg/ml) was the most toxic constituent, followed by EMC (0.041 mg/ml). EC was more effective than carbofuran (LC50, 0.092 mg/ml) but less active than fosthiazate (0.002 mg/ml). EC, egg hatch was inhibited 100, 93, and 87% at 125, 62.5, and 31.25 μg/ml, respectively. EMC caused 100, 81, and 75% inhibition of egg hatch at 125, 62.5, and 31.25 μg/ml, respectively. The inhibition of two phenylpropanoids were similar or more inhibition to that of either carbofuran or metam‐sodium but was lower than that of fosthiazate. In contact + fumigant mortality bioassay, EC and EMC treatments resulted in 86 and c 73% mortality at 0.5 and 0.125 mg/g soil, respectively. The lethality of these phenylpropanoids was almost similar to that of either carbofuran or metam‐sodium but was lower than that of fosthiazate. In vapor‐phase mortality bioassay, EC and EMC were more effective in closed container than open containers, indicating that the mode of delivery of these compounds was, in part, a result of vapor action. K. galanga rhizome‐derived materials, merit further study as potential nematicides and hatching inhibitors for the control of M. incognita populations.

The nematicidal activity of Kaempferia galanga rhizome-derived materials (methanol extract, steam distillate, and powder) toward M. incognita second-stage juveniles (J2) was examined using residual contact toxicity and pot bioassays. In residual contact toxicity bioassays with J2, the active principles of K. galanga rhizome were identified as the phenylpropanoids ethyl cinnamate (EC, 1) and ethyl-p-methoxycinnamate (EMC, 2) by spectroscopic analysis. EC exhibited 95% and 49% mortality at 0.06 and 0.04 mg/ml toward J2, respectively, whereas EMC showed 98% and 63% mortality at 0.1 and 0.08 mg/ml. In pot tests with J2, K. galanga rhizome methanol extract gave 92% and 82% mortality at 100 and 20 mg/50g soil, respectively. Steam distillate gave 88% and 68% mortality at 85 and 42.5 mg/50g soil, respectively, whereas rhizome powder provided 83% and 62% mortality at 400 and 200 mg/50g soil. K. galanga rhizome-derived materials, particularly EC and EMC, merit further study as potential root-knot nematode control agents or leads because of their great activity as a nematicide.

Root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne spp., are the most important plant-parasitic nematodes, causing severe crop yield loss with an estimated 1000 billion dollars a year worldwide. The nematodes also cause disease complexes with other microbial pathogens, damaging plants more severely than each of the pathogens alone or their sum does and making control efficiencies weakened or nullified in disease complexes. In our study, the synergistic effect of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita was confirmed in the fusarium wilt of tomato caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, which showed greatly increased wilt symptoms in combined inoculations. Use of antifungal and nematicidal plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) were considered for controlling the disease complex because of its causal agents. Among forty PGPR strains tested, P. polymyxa G508, G462 and P. lentimorbus G158 showed strong antifungal and nematicidal activities against F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and M. incognita second stage juveniles (J2), respectively. The Cultures of these bacterial strains inhibited the nematode egg hatching completely even at 1% diluted concentration. In pot experiments, treatment of the Paenibacillus strains reduced wilt severity of tomato with the control efficacy of about 90% ~ 98%. Their treatment also reduced gall formation by 64% - 88% compared to the untreated control. P. lentimorbus GBR158, which well established on seeds and hypocotyls at high population levels, reduced the disease complex greatly with the control value of about 98% when the tomato seeds were treated with the bacterial strain. Plant growth was also stimulated by the seed treatment of the bacterial strain. Scanning electron microscopy revealed alteration and distortion of hyphal cell walls of F. oxysporum and lysis of M. incognita egg shell by the bacterial treatment, showing direct antifungal and nematicidal action mechanisms. No extensive giant cell formation was observed near nematode in the tomato roots treated with the bacteria, indicating a systemic action mechanism. All of these results suggest that the Paenibacillus strains, especially G158 may have a high potential to be developed as biological agents for controlling the root-knot nematode and the disease complex.

Root-knot nematode damage was found on yam, Dioscorea bulbifera in Andong Korea. From the root-knots, female nematodes were isolated and subjected to DNA sequence analysis. Sequence of cytochrome oxidase subunit Ⅱ (COII) was analyzed from the genomic DNA of the isolate. COII locus size and sequence of the nematode isolate were similar to those of Meloidogyne javanica or M. incognita. However, an analysis of HinfⅠ restriction site, a species-specific character between these two species, showed that the isolate did not match to either M. javanica or M. incognita.

더덕(Codonopsis lanceolata) 재배지에서 당근뿌리혹선충의 환경친화적 방제법을 구명코자 방제실험을 수행한 결과 당근뿌리혹선충 방제 실험에 사용된 방제제들(Bacillus thuringiensis, Paecilomyces lilacinus, fosthiazate, 한약제 추출물) 중 더덕의 발아를 향상시키는 것을 Bt와 한약제 추출물이었고, 억제시키는 것은 fosthiazated였다. Pot에서 미생물제에 의한 당근뿌리혹선충 밀도억제 효과는 Bt와 Paecilomyces lilacinus 모두 우수하였으나 fosthiazate 보다는 떨어지는 경향이었다. 또한 한약제 추출물도 방제효과가 우수하였다. 포장실험에서도 Paecilomyces lilacinus와 fosthiazate 처리 시 수확량이 가장 많았으며 수확된 더덕의 품질도 가장 우수하였다. 한약제추출물도 무처리에 비하여 더덕의 수량 증대에 효과가 있었고, 뿌리혹선충 감염지에서 키운 더덕을 이식한 것이 비감염지에서 키워 이식한 더덕에 비하여 수량 증가율이 저조하였다.

곤충병원성 선충인 Steinernema carpocapsae All (ScA)과 포천(ScP) 계통, S.glaseri NC (SgN)와 동래(SgD) 계통, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora NC 1 계통(HbN)이 당근뿌리혹선충 (Meloidogyne hapla)의 난낭 형성에 미치는 영향을 구명하기 위하여 토마토를 이용한 pot실험을 수행한 결과는 다음과 같다. 450마리의 당근뿌리혹선충이 있는 100g 토양에 곤충병원성 선충을 2.5 마리 농도로 처리한 결과 ScA처리에서 9.4-36.5개, SgN처리에서 5.7-24.7개, HbN처리에서 11.2-16.0개로서 당근뿌리혹선충 단독 처리에서의 62.5개보다 난낭수가 매우 적었다. Steinernema선충을 100㎤당 100마리, 200마리의 당근뿌리혹선충에 대해 2,020마리/토양 350g와 1.6 마리 농도로 처리한 결과 Steinernema 선충의 종간, 계통별 또는 처리농도 간에는 난낭수의 차이가 없었으나, 당근뿌리혹선충 단독 처리와 비교하면 난낭수가 현저히 감소하였다 곤충병원성 선충을 당근뿌리혹선충 처리 3일 전에 처리한 것이 3일 후에 처리한 것보다 난낭 형성 억제에 더 효과적이었다. 한편, 곤충병원성 선충은 토마토의 생육에 아무런 영향을 끼치지 않았다.