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Species Abundance And Influence Of Nematodes In Urban Turfgrass Ecosystems In East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, Addison Ray Plaisance

LSU Master's Theses

In 2011 and 2012, 100 residential lawns in the Baton Rouge, LA area were sampled to document the incidence of plant-parasitic nematodes, in addition four full-season microplot experiments and four 71-day duration greenhouse experiments were conducted to evaluate their pathogenicity on St. Augustine and centipede turfgrasses. Nematode genera associated with both turfgrasses included Criconemella, Helicotylenchus, Meloidogyne, Pratylenchus, Tylenchorynchus and Tylenchus spp. In microplot trials in 2012, nematodes did not cause significant damage to either turfgrass, but soil exhibited an effect on plant growth parameters. In 2013, when there was significant nematode related injury to both turfgrasses, there were no significant …