Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 June 2017
Field research was conducted during the summers of 1981 and 1982 in order to determine relative infection and population increase of lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) on seven weed species that commonly occur in field-bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) fields in western Nebraska. Weeds were grown at three densities with and without fieldbeans. A representative sample of the root systems from plants in each plot was removed in August and the nematodes were extracted and counted. No difference in nematode infection rate was found among weed population levels. Nematodes per gram of dry root were not different in weeds grown with or without fieldbeans. Weeds grown with fieldbeans had smaller root systems, and consequently total nematodes per root system were less than in weeds grown in the absence of fieldbeans. There was a significant difference among most weed species when nematodes per gram of dry root were estimated. Hairy nightshade (Solanum sarachoides Sendt. ♯3 SOLSA) and barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) ♯ ECHCG] supported the highest numbers of nematodes per g oven-dry roots, redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L. ♯ AMARE) and common cocklebur (Xanthium pensylvanicum Wallr. ♯ XANPE) had least numbers of nematodes/g oven-dry roots, and infestation levels on other weed species were variable but generally intermediate.