Efficacy of Copper-Based Texel Fabric in Preventing Root Escape from Pots and Improving Nematode Resistance Screening of Sugarcane Accession Lines in a Glasshouse

Abstract

Plant-parasitic nematodes are major constraints in the production‎of sugarcane in Australia. Sugar Research Australia commenced a‎program to screen sugarcane germplasm accessions and commercial‎cultivars for nematode resistance in a glasshouse under a‎subirrigation system. Although the subirrigation system provided‎reasonable growth of sugarcane plants and significantly reduced‎the use of irrigation water in the glasshouse, it created a few‎issues. Sugarcane roots escaped through the bottom of the pots‎and created networks of roots under the fabrics used in the‎subirrigation system. This made it difficult to reduce cross contamination‎among the treatment pots and also facilitated‎nematodes to migrate outside of the pots. This research was‎undertaken to determine the effectiveness of two types of Texel‎fabrics (Tex-R commercial products) in mitigating sugarcane root‎escape from pots as well as impact on nematode population in‎the pots. Very few or no roots escaped from the pots placed on‎both types of Texel fabrics compared with other treatment‎methods, in which prolific root escape was evident at the bottom‎of the pots, forming a network of roots on or under the fabrics.‎Nematode numbers in pots placed on Texel fabrics were significantly‎higher (approximately 50,000 nematodes per pot) compared‎with other treatment methods (30,000 to 41,000 nematodes per‎pot). This research demonstrated that Texel fabricswere effective in‎stopping sugarcane root escape and preventing nematode migration‎from pots. This study also indicated that the nematode‎population inside the pots was not adversely impacted by the use‎of Texel fabrics.‎