TABLE CONTENTS

three times. Significant intra-specific variations (α ≤ 0,05) were noted among H.
bacteriophora strains. Mean desiccation tolerance ranged from a w -value 0,90 to of 0,95 for
non-adapted nematode populations and 0.76 to 0.99 for adapted nematode populations.
Variability within one H. bacteriophora population increased with increasing desiccation
stress. Strains from arid regions tolerated desiccation better than those from temperate
regions. Results indicated three nematode strains from Israel (a w -value of 0,845), Germany
(a w -value of 0,857) and Egypt (a w -value of 0,86) were the most tolerant and will be crossed
for production of the foundation strain, which afterwards be used for genetic improvement by
selective breeding. For this purposes, the most tolerant 10% of the population will be used for
each selection step.
Cultural and Physical Combinations: An Effective Control Measure
against Root-knot Nematodes in Cucumber Fields
Esmaeli, A.R. & M. Nasr Esfahani
Islamic Azad University –Felavarjan Branch & Agriculture and Natural Resources Research Center Isfahan, IR.
Iran
Plant-parasitic nematodes associated with vegetable crops in growing areas in Isfahan and
other parts of Iran include root-knot (Meloidogyne javanica, & M. incognita.) and root-lesion
(Pratylenchus spp.) nematodes. Root-knot and root-lesion nernatodes reduce growth of
vegetable crops, especially cucumber. The potential of soil-solarisation to control root-knot
nematodes Meloidgyne javanica and M. incognita, and soil amendment with (cow dung
40T/ha.) alone or in integration were studied in cucumber fields. The study was conducted
during the hot season at two provinces in Iran between July and August for periods of five
weeks in two consecutive years. The temperature in the solarised soils was (10±1°C) higher
in comparison to non solarized soils at 5 cm depth and may reaches lower temperature at
deep depths. The moisture content of the soil was preserved to value more than 80% in the
solarised soils. Bioassay of cucumber roots, indicates that soil solarisation alone could
reduces the incidence of root-knot nematodes to 52.56%, and in amended soil to 56%,
however, the integration of soil-solarisation and soil-amendment could effectively reduce the
nematode incidence to 83%. Total parasitic nematode population of the genera
Aphelenchoides, Helicotylenchus, Heterodera, Paratylenchus, Tylenclus was reduced to 71%,
69% and 79% in the respective treatments. The total free-living nematode populations of the
genera Aphelenchus, Cephalobus and Rhabditis was increased only in amended soil and
integration of both treatments of soil-amendment and soil solarisation to 30% and to 53%
respectively.
5 th International Congress of Nematology, 2008 298