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  • From: "Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>
  • To: Gardenwriters on Gardening <gwl-g@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [gwl-g] FW: Pepper Lends Nematode Resistance to Vegetables
  • Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2004 08:59:41 -0700



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From: ARS News Service <NewsService@ars.usda.gov>
Reply-To: ARS News Service <NewsService@ars.usda.gov>
Date: Wed, 23 Jun 2004 10:02:21 -0400
To: ARS News subscriber <lonrom@hevanet.com>
Subject: Pepper Lends Nematode Resistance to Vegetables

STORY LEAD:
Pepper Lends Its Nematode Resistance to Double-Cropped Vegetables

___________________________________________

ARS News Service
Agricultural Research Service, USDA
Luis Pons, (301) 504-1628, lpons@ars.usda.gov
June 23, 2004
___________________________________________

The Charleston Belle pepper developed by the Agricultural Research Service
continues to impress researchers with its ability to resist major root-knot
nematodes afflicting the southern United States.

A recent ARS study not only confirmed the effectiveness and heat tolerance
of Charleston Belle's resistance gene, but also found that the gene benefits
nematode-susceptible vegetables rotated with the pepper.

In the study, led by plant pathologist Judy Thies of the ARS U.S. Vegetable
Laboratory in Charleston, S.C., Charleston Belle dramatically outperformed
its susceptible parent, Keystone Resistant Giant, in field tests. Not only
did it repel nematodes, it also protected subsequently planted
(double-cropped) susceptible squash and cucumber crops.

The research--described in this month's issue of Plant Disease--showed that
Charleston Belle exhibited minimal root galling from nematode attack.
Charleston Belle also helped the double-cropped cucumber and squash plants
produce bigger yields and heavier fruit than when the two were grown
following the Keystone variety.

The work was conducted at Clemson University's Edisto Research and Education
Center in Blackville, S.C., and at the ARS Crop Protection and Management
Research Unit in Tifton, Ga. ARS is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
chief scientific research agency.

Charleston Belle peppers--released in 1997 by ARS Vegetable Laboratory
geneticist Richard Fery--get their resistance from the N gene, which was
obtained from a resistant pimiento pepper and placed into Keystone cultivars
to create Charleston Belle. The gene controls resistance to three major
root-knot nematode species: southern (Meloidogyne incognita), peanut (M.
arenaria) and javanese (M. javanica).

The pepper's resistance may aid growers who, next year, must fight root-knot
nematodes without use of methyl bromide. This pesticide will be banned Jan.
1 because of its ozone-depleting properties.

Other, independent studies have shown that nematode-resistant vegetable
plants--notably tomatoes--can help shield double-cropped vegetables from
nematode attack. In the ARS study, cucumber yields were 87 percent heavier
and numbers of fruit were 85 percent higher when grown after Charleston
Belle than after Keystone. Squash yields were 55 percent heavier, with 50
percent more fruit.
___________________________________________

* This is one of the news reports that ARS Information distributes to
subscribers on weekdays.
* Start, stop or change an e-mail subscription at
www.ars.usda.gov/is/pr/subscribe.htm
* NewsService@ars.usda.gov | www.ars.usda.gov/news
* Phone (301) 504-1638 | fax (301) 504-1648









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