29/10/2026
𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐄𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐎𝐃𝐄 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐄𝐒 | 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐄 #𝟎𝟐: 𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐋𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐏𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐒
🍎🍐𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐞: What's happening in the soil beneath your apple and pear trees?
Poor-looking trees can sometimes hide problems below the soil surface. Nematodes are microscopic roundworms, and certain species can damage tree roots, affect tree growth and contribute to reduced productivity. Reduced fruit size has a negative impact on pack out of fruit with huge financial losses.
🕵️ 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬
• 𝐑𝐨𝐨𝐭-𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐬 (𝑃𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑦𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑝𝑝) — can damage root tissue, resulting in lesions and impaired root function. In South Africa just over 90% of apple orchards are infested with 𝑃. ℎ𝑖𝑝𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑖. Pear trees seem to be less susceptible.
• 𝐃𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐬 (𝑋𝑖𝑝ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑚𝑎 𝑠𝑝𝑝) — though not always present they are particularly damaging and important.
• 𝐒𝐭𝐮𝐛𝐛𝐲 𝐫𝐨𝐨𝐭 𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐬 (𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐ℎ𝑜𝑑𝑜𝑟𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑝𝑝 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑁𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑑𝑜𝑟𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑝) - usually present in very sandy soils. Very damaging in low numbers resulting in roots which are ‘cut off’. Stubby root nematodes result in dwarfed pear trees.
• 𝐏𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐝𝐞 (𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑦𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑐ℎ𝑢𝑠 𝑠𝑝𝑝) - less frequently present and then in large numbers they can cause damage.
🔍 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐬: uneven tree growth, poor root development and reduced uptake of potassium are key symptoms of nematodes on apples and pears. These symptoms can have several causes, so visual inspection alone cannot confirm nematode damage.
The root-lesion nematode is often associated with Apple Replant Disorder (ARD).
🧪𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞?
Soil and root sampling, followed by a laboratory analysis, can help identify which nematodes are present and guide informed management decisions.
𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐠𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐭. 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭, 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞.
📩 Contact Nemlab to find out how a nematode analysis can help you investigate your vineyard.
