Date of Award
12-2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Plant and Environmental Science
Committee Chair/Advisor
Dr. Churamani Khanal
Committee Member
Dr. William Rutter
Committee Member
Dr. John Mueller
Abstract
Meloidogyne enterolobii is an aggressive root-knot nematode (RKN) species that has emerged as a significant pathogen of sweetpotato in the Southeastern US. Meloidogyne enterolobii is spread through the movement of infected ‘seed’ sweetpotatoes used for propagation, and the RKN resistance in commercial sweetpotato cultivars has proven ineffective against this nematode. This has prompted regulatory agencies to impose quarantines on regions infected with M. enterolobii. Sweetpotato storage roots can be rendered unmarketable due to M. enterolobii infection, resulting in potential overall yield loss. Visual detection of RKN in sweetpotato can be unreliable, and further distinguishing M. enterolobii from other RKN species that infect sweetpotato currently relies on molecular tests conducted on individual nematodes. This project had two main objectives aimed at providing the sweetpotato industry with tools to manage and slow the spread of M. enterolobii. For objective 1, a high-throughput survey method was developed to skin batches of sweetpotato storage roots for quick and sensitive detection of M. enterolobii. This method would provide regulators with a protocol to detect M. enterolobii in ‘seed’ sweetpotatoes before they are shipped and planted, thereby avoiding further geographic spread of this nematode. For objective 2, damage caused by M. enterolobii on storage roots of various sweetpotato genotypes was assessed in long-term greenhouse assays. By evaluating the response of resistant germplasm to M. enterolobii infection, vital information can be provided on how these sweetpotato cultivars will perform when planted in a field infested with M. enterolobii. The results from these objectives will provide tools that could help slow the geographic spread of M. enterolobii and mitigate the damage caused by the nematode by assessing M. enterolobii-resistant germplasm within the sweetpotato production industry.
Recommended Citation
Culbreath, Julianna, "Addressing Meloidogyne enterolobii Spread in the Sweetpotato Industry: Development of a High Throughput Survey Detection Method for Root-knot Nematodes and Quantification of M. enterolobii Damage on Storage Roots in Long-Term Assays" (2022). All Theses. 3930.
https://open.clemson.edu/all_theses/3930
Author ORCID Identifier
0000-0002-0014-4384