Evaluation of the Tolerance of Some Citrus Rootstocks to Citrus Nematode in Greenhouse (Tylenchulus semipenetrans)

Citrus nematode is one of the most important damaging nematodes of citrus trees, spreading widely in most areas under citrus planting causing dieback, the gradual decline of trees and crop decrease in citrus orchards. Eighty citrus cultivars and species are sensitive to this nematode. From other nematode hosts, we can refer to olive, fig, medlar, persimmon, pear and grapevine. Surveys Full filled in Mazandaran province is indicative of the widespread of this nematode in citrus horticulture and the level of infection in some samples is so high, thus it is necessary to use different ways of controlling this parasite.
This research was carried out for 2 successive years and the reaction of sin citrus rootstocks including Citromelo, Poncirus, Sour Orange, Bakraee, Rough lemon and Off-type to citrus nematode under controlled conditions in the greenhouse was evaluated. Three months years old plants of this rootstock Were planted in completely random design with 5 replications in pots containing the population of 40 larvae per cubic centimeter of soil and after six months, the level of infection of roots was investigated and then the most tolerable rootstock for nematode was introduced on the basis of the least population of young females and adult females injected in one gram of root volume.
Experiment results on the basis of LSD test in two successive years indicated that there is a meaningful statistical difference between Citrumelo and poncirus Poncirus with the least population of nematode of adult female on the root and other treatments the results show that sour orange and off-type rootstocks are the most sensitive to citrus nematode, poncirus Poncirus and Citrumelo are the most tolerable to nematode Bakraee and Rough lemon are in the biotype group with average tolerance (relatively sensitive) to citrus nematode. Purpose of this research is to assess the sensitivity level of six citrus rootstocks including Citromelo, Poncirus, Sour Orange, Bakraee, Rough lemon and Off-type some of these rootstocks are common citrus rootstocks in the North and south citrus regions of the present time, therefore it is necessary to choose appropriate rootstock. In addition to it, another purpose (aim) of this research is to assess tolerance of new off-type biotype, produced from citrus breeding programs, to citrus nematode under greenhouse conditions in comparison with Citromelo, Poncirus, Sour Orange, Bakraee and Rough lemon which are common citrus rootstock in the North and South provinces of the country. Bakraee is one of the natural types of citrus used in citrus regions of Fars, Hormozgan and Kerman as rootstock of mandarin and orange cultivars for many years. Introductory surveys concerning Bakraee tolerance to coldness, the rot of crown and root, and diseases such as Tristeza, Exocortis and Cachexia were carried out but its tolerance to citrus nematode has not surveyed yet. Recent molecular surveys showed Bakraee relationship with Rough lemon beside, because of appearing unknown disease of citrus trees decline on Bakraee rootstock from the beginning of 1389 in Jiroft mountainous regions, doing etiology studies and investigating its tolerance to disease factors such as citrus nematode is of great importance. Since this nematode is soil parasite and can live in the depth of soil, its chemical control is very difficult. Despite the fact that one of the control methods of it is soil sterilization before citrus planting, but because of increasing environmental risks and bad effects on human health, it is recommended that resistant rootstocks such as Poncirus should be planted in the nematode soil. Also, it is necessary to control plants in selling time from the aspect of infection and, if necessary, to sterilize infected plants in order to prevent infection spread and build healthy orchards. Therefore regarding the fact that rootstocks of Poncirus and Citromelo are resistant to Tristeza and gummosis and identifying their resistance to citrus nematode, so planting of these rootstocks in the North of the country can be effective in managing citrus nematode in infected areas. In fact, investigating resistance of common rootstocks in the region and having access to resistance sources can be regarded as a method for sanitation of plants and as a result for controlling this nematode and increasing yield in the region. Also, the results of this survey can help horticulturists to introduce and produce appropriate rootstocks in the south of the country.