Nematode management in tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant

2014

E12258

In summary, nematode control measures can be conveniently divided into 2 major categories including cultural and chemical control measures. None of these measures should be relied upon exclusively for nematode management. Rather, when practicality and economics permit, each management procedure should be considered for use in conjunction with all other available measures for nematode control and used in an integrated program of nematode\n management. In addition to nematodes, many other pests can cause crop damage and yield losses that further enforce the development of an overall Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, utilizing all available chemical and nonchemical means of reducing pest populations to subeconomic levels.\n An IPM approach further requires that growers attempt to monitor or scout fields for pest densities at critical periods of crop growth. These crops share similar nematode problems and nematicide registrations, and are grown and handled similarly. Their most important nematode pests are rootknot (in sand, muck and Miami Dade County rock-based soils), stubby-root (in sand and muck soils), and sting (in sands) nematodes. Fumigants (Table 1) are much more consistently effective against root nematodes than the non-fumigants (Table 2); under some circumstances, non\n are more effective against stubby-root nematodes than are fumigants; most nematicides can be effective against sting nematodes if applied properly. Tomatoes, peppers and eggplant are produced on plasticmulched beds in many areas of Florida. These beds are routinely fumigated with a multi-purpose fumigant at the time they are covered for broad spectrum soil pest control. Several brands of the fumigants used most widely for tomatoes, including many different Telone/chloropicrin mixtures, have also been registered for peppers and/or eggplant. There is evidence to suggest that some formulations\n may be better suited for control of specific pest\n complexes (i.e., combinations of nematodes, weeds, and/ or fungi). However, the grower must check the label of the product he is actually using to be sure that it is registered for the crops to be grown in the soil being treated. Most of the multi-purpose fumigants may be legally used to treat production fields for nearly any vegetable crop.

ENY-032, UF/FAS Extension

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