Potato nematode: description, harm, struggle

Potato nematode is a disease characterized by a clearly visible tuber damage (see photo). The cause of the disease is a tiny worm that has a threadlike shape. Actually, the name of the disease "golden potato nematode" comes from the name of these organisms ("nima" translates as "thread" and "oides" as "similar", or "filamentary"). In nature, these tiny worms can also occur in the surface layers of the earth (usually up to 10 cm in depth), in the ice water of the Antarctic, and in a hot spring. Especially a lot of them still in the soil (several million in square meters).

Lifestyle

The potato nematode pierces the wall of the plant cell with its oral organ-spear and injects its saliva into it, which in turn processes the cell into a material that is digested for the worm and simultaneously facilitates the movement of the parasite through the tuber.

Eggs, most nematodes are deposited either in the soil, or directly on the roots of the victim plant. The potato nematode carries the offspring in itself, becoming a kind of protective chamber. Each such tiny cyst can contain up to three hundred larvae. Life expectancy (or, rather, survival) is quite high - 10 years (and more).

Caused harm

Larvae emerging from the cyst, immediately begin to penetrate into the root of the plant. The substance injected by the potato nematode destroys the tuber cells and thereby slows its growth. The stems are withered, the leaves are small. The plant has a wretched, painful existence. The potato nematode spreads very quickly. Moreover, the pathogens of other diseases penetrate more easily into the affected tubers. And the nematodes themselves carry viruses, preparing, in addition, the soil for other pathogens. For example, a tuber nematode produces enzymes that make the plant susceptible to late blight.

Nematode is a quarantine object

"Sick" potatoes were imported from South America and the mountain areas of the Andes. It was from there that the nematode spread all over the world. Today the worm is found in 42 countries. And this is in spite of the fact that the nematode is a quarantine object. Overcome distances of thousands of kilometers, as you understand, the parasitic worm itself can not. They are carried by the person himself. How? To the insulting is simple: with planting materials, on the wheels of cars, on irrigation systems, on processing tools, and even on their own shoes.

Unfortunately, the parasite infects more and more places. It is possible that in the absence of effective methods of combating potato disease (nematode) will be fixed everywhere.

Protection and prevention

Taking into account such high harmfulness, it is recommended that all gardeners and farmers who discovered signs of the defeat of vegetables with this parasite should immediately report this to the plant quarantine inspection (representatives are in all areas).

Now it is already possible to talk about breeding varieties that are less susceptible to the nematode. Among them - Latona, Anosta, Picasso and Impala (Holland).

There were also new drugs. Nematicide bazamide granules have already proved itself. It is used before sowing (planting), mainly in closed ground under tomatoes and cucumbers, by uniform dispersal and sealing in the soil of 40 g of preparation per square meter. Protection of potatoes with this drug has not yet been studied.

In some countries, more radical measures are taken - from processing the production areas of heterophos (80 kg / ha) and thiazon (270 kg / ha) until the infested haulm is buried in the soil, followed by chlorination (pouring with chloride lime).