Photographer:

R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company

Damage

Description:

Nematodes (microscopic round worms) feed on tobacco roots and can cause stunting, pale color, irregular plant growth, excessive daytime wilting, and poor response to fertilizer. The problem is usually not uniform within a field. Some areas of a field may show severe injury while other areas seem unaffected. Similar symptoms may be caused by other factors such as fertilizer injury, compacted soils, fumigant injury and wireworm damage. A careful examination of the roots and a soil sample for nematode analysis are necessary to diagnose a nematode problem.

Field

Host:

flue-cured tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum (flue-cured type) L.)