| Abstract: | Weeds did not appear to serve as reservoirs for phytophagous Louisiana sugarcane nematode populations except for Criconemella spp., Meloidogyne spp., Tylenchorhynchus annulatus, and total phytophagous nematode densities were lower on weed-stressed cane and were accompanied by reduced accumulations of free cysteine, proline, and 13 other free amino acids in sugarcane. A significant weed-virus interaction for sugarcane free cysteine accumulation was detected; T. annulatus populations were highly correlated (r = 0.59, P ≤ 0.001) with the weed-induced and virus-induced changes in free cysteine. Sugarcane nematodes interacted differently with the weed and virus stresses and changes in host plant stress-related free amino acid concentrations. |
