Anyone know about nematodes?

[medicalmj]

So I've got lots of nematodes on my roots. Noticed them when I was inspecting w my new scope. They're about 1mm or less in length I'd say. No galling. Under scope they're squirming around on the roots. When I add a bit if solution to the root they disengage from root and I can see them swimming/squirming around in the solution very rapidly. Eventually they straighten out and die.

How can I tell if I have plant parasitic nems???

 

[Gascanastan]

I wouldn't stress on it...look at it as an indicator that your soil is alive. If you are growing in living soil and don't see nemotodes,pot worms,soil thrips,worms,etc. in the soil that's when it's time to get nervous. Life forms are the indicator that your soil is in the life zone.
If you actually see nemotodes chances are there are more than one type including types that do damage living tissue...however in organic living soil things tend to work themselves out on the predator/prey level.

 

[Microbeman]

If they are root suckers they will have a spear which shoots out of their mouth. If they are nutrient cyclers (very excellent), bacterial feeders their mouths will move like a gold fish mouth.

 

[Loids]

They could be fungus gnat larva. First try to identify what they are using google. If they are fungus gnat larva try using dilute 3% H2O2 (remember h202 can kill microbes so you would only want to soak the areas where the larva are), or try BTI bacteria aka mosquito dunks or a dilute neem oil soak. Aquabac and Vectobac are BTI in bulk quantities

 

[Oregonism]

You could also try powdered pot marigold flowers [Calendula officinalis]. Garlic is notoriously susceptible to nematode damage. Garlic and pot marigolds grown after each other is usually a common commercial rotation. Pot marigolds are planted first and harvested, then garlic is planted in it place. Pot marigold roots, put out chemicals with nematicide activity.

 

[Microbeman]

Hey you guys, how do you know they are bad?!

 

[schwagg]

they had spears?

 

[MrSterling]

You could also try powdered pot marigold flowers [Calendula officinalis]. Garlic is notoriously susceptible to nematode damage. Garlic and pot marigolds grown after each other is usually a common commercial rotation. Pot marigolds are planted first and harvested, then garlic is planted in it place. Pot marigold roots, put out chemicals with nematicide activity.

Oregonism, true marigold, the genus Tagetes is used against nematodes. Pot marigold(calendula) isn't related.

 

[SeaMaiden]

Medicalmj, did you get my visitor message with the nematode ID link? It's a bit of a process to identify them. If no harm is being observed, I personally would simply observe them.

 

[funkybud]

check these movies out,see if you notice them in your soil.
http://www.agron.iastate.edu/~loynachan/mov/

 

[medicalmj]

Medicalmj, did you get my visitor message with the nematode ID link? It's a bit of a process to identify them. If no harm is being observed, I personally would simply observe them.

Yes and thank you! Been busy, but I have been watching them w my high quality low X stereoscope. Cant see the stylet good w my 600X POS scope. One did appear to have a stylet tho. Need better high mag scope. Thanks again.

 

[indianajones]

oyster mushrooms are a predator of nematodes as well, but inoculation of the root zone with oysters usually brings fungus gnats pretty strongly, which can be fought with bacillus thuringiensis bacteria.

 

[[email protected]]

Nematodes

Nematodes

There are various groups of nematodes.
The bad one are called "Plant Parasitic"
The good ones are called "Free-Living" & some people also call them beneficials.
They are microscopic in size and must be view through a microscope to properly ID them.
The Plant Parasitic one can affect root systems in various ways. Some feed on the new root tips and stunt them from growing, some stick their stylet (or spear) into a root and pump enzymes into the root to break the root down and then feed off the liquid. This causes parts of the roots to plug up so that the roots can't pick up water and nutrients as they need them and the plant suffers and becomes stunted. Some nematodes live on the outside of the roots and feed and other nematode will go entirely inside the vascular tissue to live and cause root damage that way too.

 

[medicalmj]

I assume, and hope, most are free living as I just took a root sample, put a drop a water on it and under the scope, squirming around, were a couple nematodes.

 

[Mikell]

Nematode rancher drops by? ! Awesome

 

[Microbeman]

There are various groups of nematodes.
The bad one are called "Plant Parasitic"
The good ones are called "Free-Living" & some people also call them beneficials.
They are microscopic in size and must be view through a microscope to properly ID them.
The Plant Parasitic one can affect root systems in various ways. Some feed on the new root tips and stunt them from growing, some stick their stylet (or spear) into a root and pump enzymes into the root to break the root down and then feed off the liquid. This causes parts of the roots to plug up so that the roots can't pick up water and nutrients as they need them and the plant suffers and becomes stunted. Some nematodes live on the outside of the roots and feed and other nematode will go entirely inside the vascular tissue to live and cause root damage that way too.

Interesting expression 'free-living'; it seems like all soil nematodes are free-living, if one uses the term in similar application to bacteria, although I suppose it is possible that there are some obligate parasitic ones which could be called simbiotic (the opposite to free-living AFAIK in the microbial world), however the victim may argue the point. Learn something new everyday.

Basically it is as I described earlier in the thread, that the ones which cycle nutrients have (usually fat lip looking) mouths which move similar to a goldfish, nematodes which feed on roots or fungi have spear appendages (mentioned above), predatores present with barb-looking appendages and omnivores which can also cycle nutrients feed on organic matter, microorganisms and fungal spores. AFAIK the latter also has the goldfish action.

The bacterial feeding ones I culture seem to also feed on some insect larvae so perhaps they are omnivores.