Reproduction Ability and Growth Effect of Pin Nematode, Paratylenchus nanus , With Selected Field Pea Cultivars

Greenhouse experiments were conducted to determine the reproductive ability and effect of the pin nematode from North Dakota on field pea cultivars. Reproduction of was determined on seven field pea cultivars using naturally infested field soils at low (1,500/kg of soil) and high (4,500/kg soil) initial pin nematode densities. Nematode effect on plant growth and seed yield was evaluated at 4,500 per 1 kg of soil by artificially inoculating on six field pea cultivars. Reproductive factor (RF) of was observed to be greater at the low density than the high density of the nematode. At the low population density, RF values ranged from 1.10 to 11.20, whereas at the high density, RF ranged from 1.20 to 2.50. In experiments evaluating effects on cultivar growth, the nematode (4,500 per 1 kg soil) caused reduction ( < 0.05) of plant height in most cultivars tested, and it also significantly impacted dry shoot weight and dry seed weight in some experiments. Plant height and shoot weight reductions were the highest in the cultivar Arcadia (up to 37 and 53%, respectively), with a dry seed weight reduction up to 32%. This research demonstrated for the first time the negative impact of on field peas in controlled greenhouse conditions, which is an important step toward developing effective management strategies to improve the productivity of this leguminous crop.