Association of Meloidogyne arenaria with root rot of subterranean clover in Western Australia

Abstract The occurrence of the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) on subterranean clover in the lower south-west of Western Australia, and its association with root rot of this pasture species were investigated. Meloidogyne arenaria was associated with roots of subterranean clover sampled from all 12 field sites. This is the first record of M. arenaria on subterranean clover in Australia or elsewhere. There was a negative relationship between gall and root rot indices of the tap roots but not of the laterals. Although pathogenicity tests with M. arenaria at five inoculum levels (0, 8, 16, 40, and 80 × 102 eggs per 250 cm3 pot) showed that it is pathogenic at higher inoculum levels (> 16 × 102 eggs per pot), none of these levels resulted in root necrosis.