Occurrence of plant-parasitic nematodes of turfgrass in Korea

Plant-parasitic nematodes are not only an important constraint on agricultural crop production, but also cause both direct and indirect damage to turfgrass, which is a ground cover plant. However, studies on plant-parasitic nematodes of turfgrass in Korea are scarce. A survey for plant-parasitic nematodes was carried out on 13 golf courses in Korea. The results yielded 28 species/taxa belonging to 16 genera and 12 families of plant-parasitic nematodes. Among the isolated species, Helicotylenchus microlobus, Mesocriconema nebraskense, Tylenchorhynchus claytoni, Mesocriconema sp., and Meloidogyne graminicola were the most prevalent species in all management zones. Twelve species were new records of plant-parasitic nematodes in Korea. Highest maximum densities were showed by T. claytoni, Paratylenchus nanus, M. nebraskense, M. graminicola, and H. microlobus. Diversity (H’), was significantly higher in fairways compared to tees and greens, though species evenness (J’) and dominance (D) showed no statistically significant differences. This information is crucial in nematode problem diagnosis, and the subsequent formulation of management strategies.