FLOODING:

FLOODING TO CONTROL ROOT-KNOT NEMATODE:

• 1928 - 1930 - SACRAMENTO-SAN JOAQUIN DELTA
  • HETERODERA MARIONI (PROBABLY M. INCOGNITA) (12-22 MONTHS)
• 1969 - 1971 - TULELAKE/KLAMATH BASIN
  • MELOIDOGYNE NAASI, BARLEY ROOT-KNOT, (2 YEARS)
• 1989 - 1991 - TULELAKE/KLAMATH BASIN
  • MELOIDOGYNE CHITWOODI, COLUMBIA ROOT-KNOT (2 YEARS)

When considering the potential for flooding to control nematodes, one must consider that soil dwelling nematodes are aquatic organisms living in the film of moisture that lines soil pore spaces.

There is also evidence in the literature that nematodes are capable of anaerobic respiration.

Both of these factors could explain the lack of success of flooding to control three different species of root-knot nematode in three different trials in California. In all three cases summarized above in which the length of continuous flooding varied from 12 to 24 months, population decreases were comparable to or slightly less than fallow.

This does not mean that flooding does not have a place in nematode management in California. In situations where flooding is being conducted for other reasons, such as the leaching of salts, or the management of waterfowl, nematode reductions can also be realized.

For other nematodes in other locations, short term flooding has been utilized to stimulate nematode egg hatch. When followed by fallow, the nematode population may then decline more rapidly.

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