Management
Many examples around the world have shown that the population of CCNs can be reduced effectively through an
integrated approach.
Cultural practices
Cultural practices are the most efficient methods of reducing CCNs. Crop rotation with non-cereals or grass-free
rotation is very successful in reducing the population below the damaging threshold level. Organic amendments,
such as manure, organic matter, and compost may also compensate for the reducing effect of CCNs on wheat
yield. Under fallow, non-host, or resistant cultivars, populations of H. avenae can decline by 70-80% annually
through spontaneous hatching which results in the death of juveniles (Singh et al. 2009).
Chemical control
In the past, low rates of nematicides applied to both soil and seeds have provided effective and economical
control of CCNs, in Australia, India, and Israel (Rivoal and Nicol 2009). The use of chemicals becomes economic
when other methods of control are too costly, difficult to apply, or when a method such as rotation is inadequate
(Hague and Gowen 1987). Today however, no chemical is considered adequate because of costs,
environmental hazards, and high health risks for farmers.
About the authors
Dababat, A. Pariyar, S.
Nicol, J. Duveiller, E.
Amer Dababat is a plant
pathologist working with the
CIMMYT Program on Soil
Borne Pathogens in Wheat in
Turkey. Shree Pariyar is
currently studying for a PhD in
molecular phytomedicine at
the University of Bonn,
Germany. Julie Nicol is a
plant pathologist with
CIMMYT and was based in
Turkey until December 2010.
Etienne Duveiller is a
pathologist and currently
Associate Director of
CIMMYT’s Global Wheat
Program.
email: a.dababat@cgiar.org
This Technical Innovation
Brief is published by:
SP-IPM Secretariat
SP-IPM@cgiar.org
www.spipm.cgiar.org
Biological control
It has been shown that fungal pathogens of nematodes such as Catenaria auxiliaries, Pochonia chlamydosporia
and Nematophthora gynophila could infect and kill the eggs and females of CCNs (Mitchinson et al. 2009, Kerry
et al. 1977). However, these fungi have not yet been exploited as biological control agents at a commercial
scale.
Host plant resistance
Using resistant crop cultivars is considered the most effective and economical method for managing nematodes
in both high and low value cropping systems. The effectivness of resistance to CCN depends on the
effectiveness and durability of the sources of resistance and on ther correct identification of the nematode
species and/or pathotype/s (Nicol and Rivoal 2008). CIMMYT-Turkey, in collaboration with partners in Turkey,
are screening up to 3000 germplasm against Hetetodera filipjevi and H. avenae under controlled conditions.
Then, the best resistant germplasm will be tested in the open field under high and low nematode pressure to
evaluate their tolerance as well. In Turkey, 2 resistant varieties (Sonnmez and Katea) are grown in areas where
H. filipjevi is predominant. The next step it to identify of molecular markers for resistance to CCNs through
association mapping. This approach will require to assemble a set of germplasm (about 300 entries) with
variable levels of resistance to CCN.
Further reading
Bridge, J., Cooke, R., and Starr, J. (2002). Plant Resistance to parasitic nematodes. CAB International, Wallington Oxon,
United Kingdom.
Hague N.G.M and Gowen, S.R. (1987). Chemical Control of nematodes. In R.H. Brown and B.R. Kerry (eds) Principles and
practice of nematode control in crops. pp.131-178. Academic Press. Sydney, Australia.
Kerry, B.R. and Crump, D.H. (1977). Observations on fungal parasites of female and eggs of the cereal cyst nematode
Heterodera avenae, and other cyst nematodes. Nematologica. 23:193-201.
Mitchinson, S., Gowen, S.R., and Kerry, B.R. (2009). Induced biodiversity in cereal cyst nematode infestation is not a threat
to intensive cereal production in southern Britain. In: I.T. Riley, J.M. Nicol and A.A. Dababat (eds) Cereal cyst
nematodes: status, research and outlook. pp. 215-220. CIMMYT: Ankara, Turkey.
Nicol, J. M. (2002). Important nematode pests. In B.C. Curtis, S. Rajaram, H. Macpherson (eds) Bread Wheat. pp. 345-
366. Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, Rome, Italy.
Nicol, J.M. and Rivoal, R. (2008). Global knowledge and its application for the integrated control and management of
nematodes on wheat. Chapter in: A. Ciancio and K.G. Mukerji, (eds) Integrated Management and Biocontrol of
Vegetable and Grain Crops Nematodes. Springer, NL, 243-287.
Rivoal, R. and Cook, R. (1993). Nematode pests of cereals. In K.Evans, D.L Trudgill, and J.M. Webster (eds) Plant Parasitic
Nematodes in Temperate Agriculture. pp. 259–303. CAB International, UK.
Rivoal, R. and Nicol, J.M. (2009). Past research on the cereal cyst nematode complex and future needs. In I.T. Riley, J.M.
Nicol, and A.A. Dababat (eds) Cereal cyst nematodes: status, research and outlook. pp. 149-153. CIMMYT: Ankara,
Turkey.
Sikora, R. A. (1988). Plant parasitic nematodes of wheat and barley in temperate and temperate semiarid regions - a
comparative analysis. In M.G. Saxena, R.A. Sikora, J.P. Srivastava (eds) Nematodes parasites to cereals and legumes
in temperature semi-arid regions pp. 46-48. ICARDA: Aleppo, Syria.
Singh, A.K., Sharma, A.K., and Shoran, J. (2009). Heterodera avenae and its management on wheat in India. In I.T. Riley,
J.M. Nicol and A.A. Dadabat (eds) Cereal cyst nematodes: status, research and outlook.. pp 149-153. CIMMYT:
Ankara, Turkey.
Whitehead, A.G. (1998). Plant Nematode Control. CAB International, New York. NY.
SP-IPM Steering Committee Members:
Sikora, R (Program Chair); Nwilene, F (AfricaRice); Ramasamy, S (AVRDC); Staver, C (Bioversity); Buruchara, R (CIAT); Nicol, J (CIMMYT); Kroschel, J (CIP); Yahyaoui, A (ICARDA);
Ekesi, S (icipe); Sharma, H (ICRISAT); Narrod, C (IFPRI); Bandyopadhyay, R (IITA); Heong, KL (IRRI); Bramel, P (DDG –R4D convening center, IITA); Hoeschle-Zeledon, I (Program
Coordinator, IITA)