Journal of Plant Diseases and Protection, vol.130, no.5, pp.1049-1055, 2023 (SCI-Expanded)
Lavender (Lavandula spp.), a valuable essential oil plant in Lamiaceae (Mints) family, has an important place in aromatic and medicinal plants. Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are important soil-borne pathogens that cause significant yield and quality losses in lavender cultivation areas. However, there are limited studies on the resistance of lavender cultivars to root-knot nematodes. The aim of the study was to determine the reaction of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) and lavandin (Lavandula x intermedia Emeric ex Loisel.) cultivars to Meloidogyne incognita and M. arenaria isolates. This study was conducted with commercially traded Lavandula; Raya, Hebar, Imperial Gem, Munstead, Giant Hidcote cultivars belonging to lavender group and Silver and Grosso cultivars of lavandin group under the controlled conditions. All Lavandula cultivars were inoculated with second-stage juveniles (J2s) of S6 isolate of M. incognita and Çr-1 isolate of M. arenaria. The cultivar Giant Hidcote in the lavender group and Silver cultivar in the lavandin group were found resistant against both Meloidogyne species based on the gall and egg mass indices. Other tested cultivars were found susceptible to M. incognita and M. arenaria. These results could be useful in lavender and lavandin breeding programmes and in the integrated root-knot nematode management.