茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂的发育起点温度和有效积温研究

以苜蓿蚜为繁殖寄主,在12、16、20、24、28、32℃6个恒定温度下,对茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂[Lysiphlebus testaceipes(Cresson)]各发育阶段的发育历期、发育起点温度和有效积温进行了研究。结果显示,在12~28℃温度范围内,茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂各发育阶段的发育历期随温度的升高而缩短,发育速率与温度呈显著正相关。但是,当温度上升到32℃时,僵蚜至羽化阶段生长发育受到抑制,其发育历期比28℃时延长了0.45 d,卵至僵蚜、卵至羽化阶段仍符合随温度升高趋于缩短的趋势。在12、16、.20、24、28、32℃温度条件下,卵至羽化的发育历期分别为38.50、21.25、14.11、12.17、10.28 d和9.01 d。茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂卵至僵蚜、僵蚜至羽化及卵至羽化的发育起点温度分别为6.5、6.25、5.36℃,相应的有效积温分别为136.28、75.74、227.23日度。根据有效积温和发育起点温度建立了历期预测式和Logistic模型。     

茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂生物学特性初步研究

茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂Lysiphlebus testaceipes Cresson是寄生于苜蓿蚜Aphis craccivora Koch等蚜虫的一种重要寄生蜂。通过田间自然种群的调查,并在室内观察其发育历期的形态特征。在25℃恒温,16h光照,8h黑暗,相对湿度60%～70%的条件下,茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂的发育历期为卵期:1～2d,幼虫期:5～7d,蛹期:4～5d。同时观察了交尾和产卵行为。茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂成虫寿命受温度和营养条件影响很大,其中25℃条件下,补充20%蜂蜜可显著延长成虫寿命。     

烟蚜茧蜂蛹期耐冷藏性研究

在(25±1)℃、RH85%、光照∥黑暗=16h∥8h条件下僵化1～5d的僵蚜,置5℃冰箱中保存,结果显示:僵化3d蚜虫中烟蚜茧蜂平均羽化率最高(72.33%～85.33%),僵化2d蚜虫中烟蚜茧蜂羽化率次之(65.67%～81.33%),僵化4d、5d蚜虫中的烟蚜茧蜂羽化率最低(<70%);僵蚜低温冷藏对羽化出的烟蚜茧峰雌蜂寄生能力无显著影响,各处理中羽化出的雌蜂平均寿命减少皆小于1d。     

茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂人工繁殖技术研究

以苜蓿蚜为繁殖寄主,蚕豆作为蚜虫寄主植物,对茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂的人工繁殖技术进行了研究。试验结果表明,约40 d可完成1个茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂生产周期;使用生长期为20 d的蚕豆苗,接种30~50头苜蓿蚜成虫,按照接蜂比为1︰100接种茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂成蜂是繁殖该蜂的最优组合,可以节约繁蜂成本。     

茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂寄生苜蓿蚜影响因子研究

通过对茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂(Lysiphlebus testaceipes Cresson)寄生苜蓿蚜(Aphis craccivora Koch)的一些影响因子(寄主龄期、寄主密度、雌蜂龄期及接蜂时间)的研究结果表明,在混合虫态寄主中,茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂通常选择较小龄期的若蚜寄生。其中2龄若蚜的相对被寄生率最高,为41.96%,其次是1龄若蚜,为32.61%;3、4龄若蚜的相对寄生率较低。茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂在不同寄主密度下的寄生率有显著差异。雌蜂蜂龄对寄生有明显影响。随着蜂龄的延长,寄生率逐渐降低;随接蜂时间的延长,寄生率也逐步增加。但达到寄生高峰的接蜂时间,再延长接蜂时间,寄生率亦不再明显增加。     

不同温度、烟蚜茧蜂寄生密度对僵蚜羽化率、寄生率和重寄生的影响

为明确不同温度、烟蚜茧蜂寄生密度对僵蚜羽化的影响,分别设置5个温度和5个烟蚜茧蜂寄生密度,在云南省弥渡县红花大金元特色烟叶研发基地进行试验.结果表明,在烟蚜茧蜂寄生密度相近时,20℃条件下僵蚜的羽化率最高,羽化率达84.50％;烟蚜茧蜂的死亡率随温度升高而逐渐提高,且重寄生蜂在10～15℃条件下基本不羽化;而在25～3...     

茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂脂代谢相关的滞育关联基因差异表达分析

本文对茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂滞育组与正常发育组进行转录组测序,筛选差异表达基因,根据功能注释发现这些滞育关联基因主要与碳水化合物代谢、脂质代谢以及信号转导等途径相关。借助KEGG数据库,共筛选出滞育期间401个与脂代谢相关的差异基因,在滞育期间呈现不同程度的上调表达,涉及了脂肪酸生物合成、甘油脂代谢、类固醇生物合成等代谢途径,除与脂质合成相关的脂肪酸合成酶、超长链脂肪酸延伸酶基因上调表达外,与脂质分解相关的酶,如酯酶同样上调表达,可能与提高茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂免疫力有关;与激素合成相关基因的上调表达,可能抑制茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂卵巢发育。     

茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂引种研究

茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂,于1983年由美国俄克拉何马州引到陕西省泾阳县,可寄生于麦二叉蚜、棉蚜、豆蚜、酸模蚜、禾谷缢管蚜、玉米蚜。1983～1986年在棉田、小麦田、杂草地及植物园温室分别放蜂21307、11508、2933和19562头。1987年调查放蜂结果:棉田棉蚜僵蚜出蜂172头中,未见引进蜂;小麦田禾谷缢管蚜和麦二叉蚜分别出蜂34和314头,各有引进蜂1头;杂草地豆蚜出蜂420头中,有引进蜂6头;在植物园温室扶桑与海桐上僵蚜率分别为49.3％和32.2％,全是引进蜂。对影响茶足柄瘤蚜茧蜂在陕西定殖的因素作了讨论。     

温度和光周期对管侧沟茧蜂寄生草地贪夜蛾效果的影响

草地贪夜蛾Spodoptera frugiperda是世界重大农业害虫,前期研究发现管侧沟茧蜂Microplitis tuberculifer能够有效控制草地贪夜蛾。为了进一步优化控害效果、评估寄生适应性,本研究比较了温度和光周期对管侧沟茧蜂寄生草地贪夜蛾效果及子代蜂发育的影响。结果表明：在光周期10L：14D和14L：10D条件下,20℃、24℃和28℃时管侧沟茧蜂对草地贪夜蛾的寄生效果均较好,结茧率>70%、畸形率<6%、羽化率>60%,16℃和32℃下寄生能力降低;管侧沟茧蜂的发育历期（卵-幼虫期、蛹期和成虫期）和茧重随着温度的升高明显缩短,光周期10L：14D条件下16℃则能诱导管侧沟茧蜂进入滞育; 28℃条件下,不同光周期对管侧沟茧蜂寄生草地贪夜蛾后的结茧率>70%、畸形率<4%、发育历期和茧重无显著影响;在16℃条件下,当光照低于12L：12D时能够诱导管侧沟茧蜂进入滞育。综合各个参数,管侧沟茧蜂生长适宜温度广泛,在16℃~32℃范围内均能正常寄生草地贪夜蛾,完成世代发育,其中20℃~28℃为最佳寄生和生长温度;光周期对管侧沟茧蜂寄生草地贪夜蛾的影响较小,28℃适宜温度下,光照8L：16D至16L：8D均对低龄幼虫有较好的控害效果。     

温度及光周期对日本食蚧蚜小蜂发育与繁殖的影响

为明确温度、光周期对日本食蚧蚜小蜂Coccophagus japonicus Compere发育与繁殖的影响,在不同温度、光周期条件下观察日本食蚧蚜小蜂的发育历期、出蜂数、雌蜂寿命以及寄生率。结果表明：温度和光周期显著影响日本食蚧蚜小蜂种群增长。在18~30℃之间,日本食蚧蚜小蜂的发育历期及雌蜂寿命均随温度的升高而缩短,18℃时发育历期与雌蜂寿命最长,分别为60.9 d和29.9 d,30℃时发育历期最短,为21.3 d,33℃时雌蜂寿命最短,为8.3 d;18~24℃之间,寄生率及出蜂数随温度的升高而增加,24℃时最高,分别为77.1%和38.7头;24~30℃之间,随温度升高日本食蚜小蜂的寄生率及出蜂数呈下降趋势。在光周期L 8 h∶D 16 h~L 16 h∶D 8 h范围内,当光周期为L 12 h∶D 12 h时,日本食蚧蚜小蜂的发育历期最短,为22.1 d,出蜂数最高,为39.0头;当光周期为L 14 h∶D 10 h时,雌蜂寿命最长,为22.6 d,寄生率最高,为71.1%。表明温度24~27℃、光周期L 12 h∶D 12 h为日本食蚧蚜小蜂种群增长的最适温度和光周期条件。     

Tumours of Begonia and some other ornamentals,induced by Corynebacterium fascians

In 1975 many tumours were observed in plants ofBegonia Schwabenland grown in Aalsmeer. Submersion of the roots ofNicotiana megalosiphon seedlings in a homogenate of tumorous tissue, induced tumours after two weeks. Short periods of submergence yielded results similar to those obtained after longer periods. Tumour homogenates lost their infectivity after ten min at 50°C. Aphids transmitted the infectious agent.Treatment with propylene oxide did not inhibit infectivity completely. Filtration through a 450 nm filter removed the infectious agent.Tobacco tumor virus or a viroid could not be isolated. Cultures ofCorynebacterium fascians, isolated from tumours ofN. megalosiphon were highly infectious and induced tumours in healthyN. megalosiphon andBegonia. Tumorous tissue homogenates ofPelargonium zonale, Dahlia sp.,Gladiolus sp., andLilium sp. also caused tumours inN. megalosiphon, from whichC. fascians was isolated. It was not possible to produce tumours inN. megalosiphon with homogenates from roses with symptoms of bud proliferation.Samenvatting In 1975 werden vele tumoren waargenomen inBegonia Schwabenland op Aalsmeerse bedrijven (Fig. 1). De infectiositeit van tumorweefsel kon goed en snel worden vastgesteld door de wortels van zaailingen vanNicotiana megalosiphon in een homogenaat van tumorweefsel te dompelen. Tumoren ontstonden na twee weken, de eindbeoordeling geschiedde na een maand (Fig. 2). Ook verschillende andereNicotiana spp.,Melilotus officinalis (Fig. 3) enPisum odoratum (Fig. 4) werden aangetast.Bij de infectiositeitstoets gaven zeer korte dompeltijden even goede resultaten als langere (Tabel 1). Infectieus sap verloor zijn infectievermogen na 10 min verhitting bij 50°C. Bladluizen brachten de smetstof over. Propyleenoxide verminderde de infectiositeit wel, doch onderdrukte deze niet totaal. Bij filtratie door een 450 nm filter bleef het infectieuse agens op het filter achter. Het tumor-inducerende agens was ook aanwezig in die delen van planten met tumoren welke gezond leken en het ging voor een gering deel over met zaad (Tabel 2).Uit tumoren konden wij geen tabakstumorvirus of een viroïde isoleren. Culturen vanCorynebacterium fascians, geïsoleerd uit tumoren vanN. megalosiphon bleken zeer infectieus en veroorzaakten tumoren inN. megalosiphon enBegonia. Homogenaten van tumorweefsel vanPelargonium zonale, dahlia (Fig. 5), gladiool (Fig. 6) enLilium Mid Century Hybrid Enchantment (Fig. 7) veroorzaakten ook tumoren opN. megalosiphon, waaruitC. fascians werd geïsoleerd. Met sap van kroeskopzieke rozen konden wijN. megalosiphon niet besmetten.     

Plant Viruses Transmitted by Whiteflies

One-hundred and fourteen virus species are transmitted by whiteflies (family Aleyrodidae). Bemisia tabaci transmits 111 of these species while Trialeurodes vaporariorum and T. abutilonia transmit three species each. B. tabaci and T. vaporariorum are present in the European–Mediterranean region, though the former is restricted in its distribution. Of the whitefly-transmitted virus species, 90% belong to the Begomovirus genus, 6% to the Crinivirus genus and the remaining 4% are in the Closterovirus, Ipomovirus or Carlavirus genera. Other named, whitefly-transmitted viruses that have not yet been ranked as species are also documented. The names, abbreviations and synonyms of the whitefly-transmitted viruses are presented in tabulated form together with details of their whitefly vectors, natural hosts and distribution. Entries are also annotated with references. Whitefly-transmitted viruses affecting plants in the European–Mediterranean region have been highlighted in the text.     

Epidemiology and simulation of population development of Sitobion avenae in winter wheat

The epidemiology ofSitobion avenae and its natural enemies in winter wheat was studied in 1975, 1976 and 1977. Immigration was important until the end of flowering. The alate immigrants had apterous offspring. These became the driving force in population growth. Their offspring were mostly alatae which usually left the field. A model of the epidemic was developed. Quantitative relations between the aphids and their environment were obtained from literature or established in laboratory trials. The model simulated population development and population composition from the beginning of June till the population peak at the end of June or early in July. Because quantitative data on relations between aphids and their natural enemies and pathogens are scarce, and since the knowledge on wing formation is still limited, the population collapse could not be predicted. In the future, prognosis over a period of three weeks seems possible.Samenvatting De toenemende betekenis van graanbladluizen (vooralSitobion avenae) gepaard gaande met een sterke toename van het gebruik van insecticiden op granen maakte verbetering van de prognose over het schadelijk optreden wenselijk. Door gedetailleerde tellingen in het veld (Fig. 1–7) werden gegevens verkregen over het verloop van de epidemie en het optreden van natuurlijke vijanden in 1975, 1976 en 1977.Een immigratieperiode tot in de bloei kon worden vastgesteld. Daarna lijkt de aantrekkelijkheid van het gewas voor alate luizen te verminderen. De alate immigranten krijgen aptere nakomelingen. Deze vormen de stuwende kracht van de populatiegroei. De nakomelingen van apteren zijn merendeels alaat. Zij verlaten het gewas.Een model van de populatieontwikkeling gedurende de epidemie werd opgesteld. De relatiediagrammen Fig. 9 en 10 laten groei en ontwikkeling vanS. avenae en een predator (Syrphus corollae) zien. Kwantificering van de betrekkingen werd mogelijk door literatuurgegevens en laboratoriumexperimenten.Met het model kon de populatieontwikkeling vanS. avenae vanaf begin juni tot aan de populatiepiek in 1975, 1976 en 1977 vrij goed worden gesimuleerd (Fig. 12). Ook de populatieopbouw kon worden gesimuleerd (Fig. 14). De teruggang van de populatiedichtheid blijkt moeilijker te voorspellen door het ontbreken van gegevens over natuurlijke vijanden.Het lijkt waarschijnlijk dat in de toekomst met het model een prognose over de piek van de bladluispopulatie circa 3 weken tevoren mogelijk zal zijn.     

Broad bean mottle virus in Morocco; curculionid vectors,and natural occurrence in food legumes other than faba bean (Vicia faba)

Broad bean mottle virus (BBMV) was transmitted from infected to healthy faba-bean plants by the curculionid weevilsApion radiolus Kirby,Hypera variabilis Herbst,Pachytychius strumarius Gyll,Smicronyx cyaneus Gyll, andSitona lineatus L. The latter appeared to be an efficient vector: acquisition and inoculation occurred at the first bite, the rate of transmission was c. 41%, and virus retention lasted for at least seven days.S. lineatus transmitted the virus from faba bean to lentil and pea, but not to the three genotypes of chickpea tested. This is the first report on the generaHypera, Pachytychius, andSmicronyx as virus vectors, and onA. radiolus, H. variabilis, P. strumarius, andS. cyaneus as vectors of BBMV.Out of 351 samples of food legumes with symptoms suggestive of virus infection, 16, 11, 19, and 17% of the samples of chickpea, lentil, pea, and common bean, respectively, were found infected when tested for BBMV in DAS-ELISA. This is the first report on the natural occurrence of BBMV in chickpea, lentil, pea, and common bean. The virus should be regarded as a food-legume virus rather than a faba-bean virus solely, and is considered an actual threat to food legume improvement programmes.     

Relationships of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Barley yellow dwarf virus</Emphasis>-PAV and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cereal yellow dwarf virus</Emphasis>-RPV from Iran with viruses of the family <Emphasis Type="Italic">Luteoviridae</Emphasis>

Barley yellow dwarf disease is one of the most important problems confronting cereal production in Iran. Barley yellow dwarf virus-PAV (BYDV-PAV) and Cereal yellow dwarf virus-RPV (CYDV-RPV) are the predominant viruses associated with the disease. One isolate of BYDV-PAV from wheat (PAV-IR) and one isolate of CYDV-RPV from barley (RPV-IR) were selected for molecular characterisations. A genome segment of each isolate was amplified by PCR. The PAV-IR fragment (1264 nt) covered a region containing partial genes for coat protein (CP), read through protein (RTP) and movement protein (MP). PAV-IR showed a high sequence identity to PAV isolates from USA, France and Japan (96–97%). In a phylogenetic analysis it was placed into PAV group I together with PAV isolates from barley and oats. The fragment of RPV-IR (719 nt) contained partial genes for CP, RTP and MP. The sequence information confirmed its identity as CYDV. However, RPV-IR showed 90–91% identity with both RPV and Cereal yellow dwarf virus-RPS (CYDV-RPS). Phylogenetic analyses suggested that it was more closely related to RPS. These data comprise the first attempt to characterise BYD-causing viruses in Iran and southwest Asia. The nucleotide sequence data reported appear in the EMBL, GenBank and DDBJ Nucleotide Sequence Databases under the accession numbers AY450425 and AY450454     

Identification,incidence and characterization of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium proliferatum</Emphasis>on ornamental palms in Spain

During a survey conducted from 1998 to 2002, Fusarium proliferatum was found associated with young and adult palms belonging to the genera Chamaerops, Phoenix, Trachycarpus and Washingtonia showing symptoms of wilt and dieback. The fertility and toxicological profile of 36 strains representing different locations and hosts were studied. All of them except two, which were infertile, belonged to mating population D. Both mating types (MATD-1 and MATD-2) were isolated from the same host species, showing a high potential of genetic recombination in the field. Additionally, eight strains were fertile once crossed as female. Toxin analysis showed differences in the ability of strains to produce fumonisin B₁, moniliformin, beauvericin, fusaric acid and fusaproliferin. Only 17 of them produced all the toxins analyzed. Pathogenicity tests were conducted on Phoenix dactylifera and P. canariensis using nine F. proliferatum Spanish strains and two reference strains from Saudi Arabia. Eight months after inoculation all strains caused disease, with palms showing lesions on the bases of leaves and development of wilt symptoms similar to those originally observed in affected plants. This is the first report on the occurrence of F. proliferatum on P. dactylifera in Spain and also the first report of this pathogen on C. humilis, P. canariensis, P. reclinata, T. fortunei, W. filifera and W. robusta.     

A new <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhizoctonia</Emphasis> sp. closely related to <Emphasis Type="Italic">Waitea circinata</Emphasis> causes a new disease of creeping bentgrass

Isolates of an unidentified Rhizoctonia sp. (UR isolates) were obtained from creeping bentgrass and Kentucky bluegrass with reddish brown sheath and foliar rots. Because the UR isolates anastomosed with isolates of three varieties of Waitea circinata (var. oryzae, var. zeae, and var. circinata), colony morphology, hyphal growth rate at different temperatures, pathogenicity, sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) region of ribosomal RNA genes (rDNA) were compared. The colony color of mature UR isolates was distinct from isolates of the other three varieties of W. circinata. In pathogenicity tests on creeping bentgrass, the severity of the disease caused by UR isolates was significantly higher than that caused by the three varieties of W. circinata. Sequence similarities of the rDNA-ITS region between UR isolates and between isolates within each variety were high (97–100%), but they were lower among isolates from UR and the varieties of W. circinata (88–94%). In a phylogenetic tree based on the rDNA-ITS sequences, UR isolates formed a cluster separate from each of the clusters formed by the three varieties of W. circinata. These results indicate that the UR isolates clearly differ from the three varieties of W. circinata. We therefore propose that the UR isolates be classified as new Rhizoctonia sp. that are closely related to W. circinata and that the disease on creeping bentgrass should be called Waitea reddish-brown patch disease (Sekikasshoku-hagusare-byo in Japanese).     

Recent observations on leafy gall in Liliaceae and some other families

Corynebacterium fascians, which causes leafy gall, has been shown to be responsible for the unusual symptoms recently found in lilies. The symptoms are described and the different bacterial isolates compared by biochemical, serological and pathogenicity experiments. No evidence could be found for the existence of specialized strains even though considerable variation in virulence could be demonstrated. Although the role of variation in susceptibility of the different lily cultivars should not be underestimated, it would appear that high inoculum levels ofC. fascians in the soil may be largely responsible for these outbreaks.Also included in this study are the results of biochemical, serological and pathogenicity experiments ofC. fascians which has been isolated fromKalanchoe, Euphorbia, Brodiaea, Hebe andVerbascum.Samenvatting Reeds een aantal jaren was in lelies een woekering in stengelbollen bekend, die echter sporadisch voorkwam en economisch van weinig betekenis was. Tijdens de zomer van 1977 echter trad de ziekte op één enkel perceel zo ernstig op dat zeer aanzienlijke oogstderving het gevolg was. Behalve de stengelbol kan ook de hoofdbol misvormd zijn. Bovendien kunnen misvormde stengelbollen lange spruiten vormen, zgn. sabeltandvorming. Soms is het wortelstelsel gereduceerd; in de kas zijn verdikte stengels waargenomen. De ziekte staat nu bekend onder de naam woekerziekte.Door de PD te Wageningen en het LBO te Lisse werd de bacterieCorynebacterium fascians (Tilford) Dows. uit het zieke materiaal geïsoleerd. In gezamenlijk onderzoek werd nagegaan of de bacterie de veroorzaker is van bovengenoemde symptomen en of hier sprake is van een op lelie gespecialiseerde stam.Biochemische en serologische vergelijkingen tussen isolaten vanC. fascians uit lelie,Kalanchoe, Euphorbia, Brodiaeea, Hebe enVerbascum laten zien dat er zeer weinig verschillen bestaan. Alle isolaten reageren op een standaard antiserum met titers variërend tussen 1: 640–1: 5120.Een oriënterende inoculatieproef werd uitgevoerd op het LBO in 1977. Daarna werden op de PD 10 van de 25 isolaten uit lelie en 8 uit andere waardplanten getoetst op lelie, chrysant en lathyrus. Uit de inoculatieproeven blijkt, dat de bacterie de veroorzaker is van de waargenomen symptomen. Tussen de isolaten blijkt een groot verschil in pathogeniteit te bestaan (12–100% aantasting), zonder dat dit aan herkomst gebonden is. Het voorkomen van op lelie of andere waardplanten gespecialiseerde stammen is daarom niet aan te nemen.In hoeverre de hevige aantasting een gevolg is van een opbouw van de bacterie-populatie door een te nauwe vruchtwisseling en mechanische rooimethoden moet worden nagegaan.     

Pathogenic fungi involved in root rot of peas in the Netherlands and their physiological specialization

Research on root rot pathogens of peas in the Netherlands has confirmed the prevalence ofFusarium solani, F. oxysporum, Pythium spp.,Mycosphaerella pinodes andPhoma medicaginis var.pinodella. Aphanomyces euteiches andThielaviopsis basicola were identified for the first time as pea pathogens in the Netherlands. Other pathogens such asRhizoctonia solani andCylindrocarpon destructans were also found on diseased parts of roots. F. solani existed in different degrees of pathogenicity, and was sometimes highly specific to pea, dwarf bean of field bean, depending on the cropping history of the field.A. euteiches was specific to peas, whereasT. basicola showed some degree of physiological specialization.     

Nematicidal Activity of Chrysanthemum coronarium

Organic amendments and green manure are potential alternatives to the harmful chemical control means currently used against plant-parasitic nematodes. In this work, Chrysanthemum coronarium was applied to the soil as a green manure to control the root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne incognita and M. javanica. Chrysanthemum coronarium significantly reduced nematode infection of tomato roots and improved plant-top fresh weight, both in the greenhouse and in microplots. Other green manures, derived from Anthemis pseudocotula, wild chickpea (Cicer pinnatifidum), Geranium spp. and wheat, were not as effective as C. coronarium. Chrysanthemum coronarium, retained its nematicidal activity even when applied as a dried material. Only mature C. coronarium plants, in their flowering stage, exhibited nematode control activity, but the green plant parts were more effective than the flowers. An aqueous extract of C. coronarium exhibited in vitro, nematostatic activity towards M. incognita and M. javanica second-stage juveniles and inhibited their hatching from eggs and egg-masses; its nematostatic activity was expressed also against other phytonematode species such as Heterodera avenae and Pratylenchus mediterraneus, but did not affect the beneficial entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema feltiae.