<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!DOCTYPE article  PUBLIC "-//NLM//DTD Journal Publishing DTD v3.0 20080202//EN" "http://dtd.nlm.nih.gov/publishing/3.0/journalpublishing3.dtd"><article xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" dtd-version="3.0" xml:lang="en" article-type="research article"><front><journal-meta><journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">AS</journal-id><journal-title-group><journal-title>Agricultural Sciences</journal-title></journal-title-group><issn pub-type="epub">2156-8553</issn><publisher><publisher-name>Scientific Research Publishing</publisher-name></publisher></journal-meta><article-meta><article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.4236/as.2015.69086</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">AS-59482</article-id><article-categories><subj-group subj-group-type="heading"><subject>Articles</subject></subj-group><subj-group subj-group-type="Discipline-v2"><subject>Biomedical&amp;Life Sciences</subject><subject> Earth&amp;Environmental Sciences</subject></subj-group></article-categories><title-group><article-title>
 
 
  Chemotaxis of &lt;i&gt;Meloidogyne incognita&lt;/i&gt; in Response to Different Salts
 
</article-title></title-group><contrib-group><contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>onghong</surname><given-names>Qi</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Li</surname><given-names>Meng</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Sufang</surname><given-names>Cao</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff2"><sup>2</sup></xref></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Minquan</surname><given-names>Li</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref><xref ref-type="corresp" rid="cor1"><sup>*</sup></xref></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Shulong</surname><given-names>Chen</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff3"><sup>3</sup></xref><xref ref-type="corresp" rid="cor1"><sup>*</sup></xref></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Deyou</surname><given-names>Ye</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff4"><sup>4</sup></xref></contrib></contrib-group><aff id="aff2"><addr-line>Institute of Fruit and Floriculture Research, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China</addr-line></aff><aff id="aff4"><addr-line>Institute of Vegetable Research, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China</addr-line></aff><aff id="aff1"><addr-line>Institute of Plant Protection, Gansu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou, China</addr-line></aff><aff id="aff3"><addr-line>Institute of Plant Protection, Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences/IPM Centre of Hebei 
Province, Baoding, China</addr-line></aff><author-notes><corresp id="cor1">* E-mail:<email>lmq@gsau.edu.cn(ML)</email>;<email>chenshulong56@163.com(SC)</email>;</corresp></author-notes><pub-date pub-type="epub"><day>07</day><month>09</month><year>2015</year></pub-date><volume>06</volume><issue>09</issue><fpage>900</fpage><lpage>907</lpage><history><date date-type="received"><day>3</day>	<month>April</month>	<year>2015</year></date><date date-type="rev-recd"><day>accepted</day>	<month>6</month>	<year>September</year>	</date><date date-type="accepted"><day>9</day>	<month>September</month>	<year>2015</year></date></history><permissions><copyright-statement>&#169; Copyright  2014 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. </copyright-statement><copyright-year>2014</copyright-year><license><license-p>This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</license-p></license></permissions><abstract><p>
 
 
  The chemotactic responses of 
  
  Meloidogyne incognita were studied in salt gradients in an agarose gel. Forty-eight combinations of sodium, copper, cesium, manganese , barium, potassium, ferric or ammonium cations and chloride, nitrate, sulphate, hydrogen-phosphate, bicarbonate, acetic acid, thiocyanic acid and hydroxyl anions were tested at six concentrations from 0.0625 &#215; 10
  <sup>-2</sup> to 2 &#215; 10
  <sup>-2</sup> mol
  &#183;L
  <sup>-1</sup>. M. incognita was repellented to salts that included Cl
  <sup>-</sup> and SCN
  <sup>-</sup>. Other salts that comprised the same anions had different chemotactic responses, among which M. incognita was repellented to ammonium salts that included Ba(NO
  <sub>3</sub>)
  <sub>2</sub>, NH
  <sub>4</sub>NO
  <sub>3</sub>, Mn(NO
  <sub>3</sub>)
  <sub>2</sub>, and hydrogen-phosphate salts that included KH
  <sub>2</sub>PO
  <sub>4</sub>, K
  <sub>2</sub>HPO
  <sub>4</sub>, and bicarbonate salts that included Na
  &lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;CO
  <sub>3</sub>, K
  &lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;CO
  <sub>3</sub>, (NH
  <sub>4</sub>)
  &lt;sub&gt;2&lt;/sub&gt;CO
  <sub>3</sub>, KHCO
  <sub>3</sub>, and hydroxyl salts that included KOH, NaOH, and organic acid that included C
  <sub>2</sub>H
  <sub>4</sub>O
  <sub>2</sub>, C3H
  <sub>6</sub>O3 and C
  <sub>4</sub>H
  <sub>6</sub>O
  <sub>6</sub>. The repellent or attraction properties of different salts having the same cations were not consistent. The order of repellence was SCN
  <sup>-</sup> &gt; 
  NO<sub>3</sub><sup style="margin-left:-6px;">-</sup> &gt; Cl
  <sup>-</sup> &gt; OH
  <sup>-</sup> &gt; 
  CO<sub>3</sub><sup style="margin-left:-6px;">2-</sup> &gt;
  H<sub>2</sub>PO<sup>-</sup><sub style="margin-left:-6px;">4</sub> &gt; organic acid &gt;
  SO<sub>4</sub><sup style="margin-left:-6px;">2-</sup> . The chemotaxis of nematodes to KCl, Ba(NO
  <sub>3</sub>)
  <sub>2</sub>, NH
  <sub>4</sub>NO
  <sub>3</sub>, Mn(NO
  <sub>3</sub>)
  <sub>2</sub>, (NH
  <sub>4</sub>)
  <sub>2</sub>CO
  <sub>3</sub>, CH
  <sub>3</sub>COOH and C
  <sub>4</sub>H
  <sub>6</sub>O
  <sub>6</sub> increased with the increasing concentration, while the concentration of other salts tested did not influence nematode chemotaxis significantly.
 
</p></abstract><kwd-group><kwd>&lt;i&gt;Meloidogyne incognita&lt;/i&gt;</kwd><kwd> Inorganic Salts</kwd><kwd> Organic Salts</kwd><kwd> Chemotaxis</kwd></kwd-group></article-meta></front><body><sec id="s1"><title>1. Introduction</title><p>Root-knot nematodes were included within the genus Meloidogyne and belonged to a relatively small but important polyphagous group of highly adapted obligate plant pathogens. They were among the most hazardous soilborne plant parasites and were responsible for large economic losses in a wide variety of crops worldwide. Typically, they reproduced and fed within plant roots and caused small to large galls or root-knots. Meloidogyne incognita was currently causing problems on many economic crops in conventional as well as organic farming. For several decades, the management of plant-parasitic nematodes has been dominated by the use of synthetic nematicides. Their application is problematic because of negative environmental impacts and, consequently, many nematicides have been withdrawn from the market, so new control strategies are needed. Understanding the mechanisms and factors involved in host location could provide powerful opportunities for controlling the nematode by disrupting its host finding behaviour.</p><p>Steiner [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref1">1</xref>] proposed that plant-parasitic nematodes located their hosts by chemoreception. Subsequently, a series of experiments were conduced on the chemotaxis of nematodes in response to host roots [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref2">2</xref>] -[<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref5">5</xref>] , pH [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref6">6</xref>] , carbon dioxide [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref7">7</xref>] [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref8">8</xref>] , temperature [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref9">9</xref>] [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref10">10</xref>] , sex pheromones [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref11">11</xref>] and inorganic ions [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref12">12</xref>] -[<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref14">14</xref>] . The chemoreception of nematodes in response to different attractants has been reviewed by Perry [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref15">15</xref>] [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref16">16</xref>] . As salts exist naturally in the soil and are easily altered by crop fertilisers, understanding the effects of salts on nematode orientation will be important as a potential basis for developing new management approaches.</p><p>Salt ions of Na<sup>+</sup>, Mg<sup>+</sup>, Cl<sup>−</sup> and OAc<sup>−</sup> have been reported to attract Rotylenchulus reniformis [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref17">17</xref>] , whilst K<sup>+</sup>, <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x10.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>, Cs<sup>+</sup>, <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x11.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> and Cl<sup>−</sup> are strongly repellent to infective second-stage juveniles (J2) of M. incognita [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref13">13</xref>] . Saux and Qu&#233;n&#233;herv&#233; [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref14">14</xref>] noted that calcium salts had no effect on the juvenile orientation of M. incognita, whilst ammonium salts and ammonium nitrate were strongly repellent. By contrast, the orientation of R. reniformis depended on the constitutive anion of the salts, e.g., chloride salts were found to be repellent but sulphate and nitrate salts were attractive. Ditylenchus destructor had attraction or repellent for some ions, such as Cl<sup>−</sup>, <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x12.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>, <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x13.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>, <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x14.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>and <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x15.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref18">18</xref>] . The present study aimed to investigate the chemotaxis of M. incognita in response to 48 different salts.</p></sec><sec id="s2"><title>2. Materials and Methods</title><sec id="s2_1"><title>2.1. Nematodes</title><p>The diseased roots of tomatos cv. Digny powder were collected from a field in Wuwei, Gansu, China infested with M. incognita [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref19">19</xref>] . Fresh egg masses were picked with needle from tomato roots under anatomical lens and put into Petri dish. Subsequently, egg masses were sterilized with 0.5% NaOCl<sub>2</sub> for 3 min, washed three times with distilled water, and placed into 24 holes plate for four days hatching at 25˚C. Then the 2nd stage juveniles (J<sub>2</sub>) were used bioassay.</p></sec><sec id="s2_2"><title>2.2. Salts</title><p>The salts tested were NH<sub>4</sub>Cl, NaCl, KCl, CuCl<sub>2</sub>∙2H<sub>2</sub>O, FeCl<sub>3</sub>∙3H<sub>2</sub>O, CsCl, (NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, K<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, MnSO<sub>4</sub>∙H<sub>2</sub>O, FeSO<sub>4</sub>∙7H<sub>2</sub>O, CuSO<sub>4</sub>∙5H<sub>2</sub>O, (NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>∙FeSO<sub>4</sub>∙6H<sub>2</sub>O, NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub>, NaNO<sub>3</sub>, KNO<sub>3</sub>, Ba(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>, Mn(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>, Na<sub>2</sub>HPO<sub>4</sub>, NaH<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub>, (NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>HPO<sub>4</sub>, NH<sub>4</sub>H<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub>, KH<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub>, K<sub>2</sub>HPO<sub>4</sub>, NH<sub>4</sub>HCO<sub>3</sub>, (NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>, Na<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>, K<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>, KHCO<sub>3</sub>, CaCO<sub>3</sub>, NaHCO<sub>3</sub>, CH<sub>3</sub>COOH, CH<sub>3</sub>COONa, CH<sub>3</sub>COOK, CH<sub>3</sub>COONH<sub>4</sub>, NH<sub>4</sub>SCN, KSCN, NaSCN, NaOH, KOH, Na<sub>2</sub>Wo<sub>4</sub>∙2H<sub>2</sub>O, C<sub>3</sub>H<sub>6</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, C<sub>4</sub>H<sub>6</sub>O<sub>6</sub>, C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>8</sub>O<sub>7</sub>, C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>5</sub>Na<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub>, C<sub>7</sub>H<sub>5</sub>NaO<sub>3</sub>, C<sub>10</sub>H<sub>14</sub>N<sub>2</sub>Na<sub>2</sub>O<sub>8</sub> and CO(NH<sub>2</sub>)<sub>2</sub>. For each salt, six concentrations with pre experiment were tested: 2 &#215; 10<sup>−</sup><sup>2</sup>, 1 &#215; 10<sup>−</sup><sup>2</sup>, 0.5 &#215; 10<sup>−</sup><sup>2</sup>, 0.25 &#215; 10<sup>−</sup><sup>2</sup>, 0.125 &#215; 10<sup>−</sup><sup>2</sup> and 0.0625 &#215; 10<sup>−</sup><sup>2</sup> mol∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>.</p></sec><sec id="s2_3"><title>2.3. Bioassay</title><p>The experimental set up used in this study was modified from Wuyts [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref20">20</xref>] . In brief, 5-cm-diam. Petri dishes were divided into 16 sections in two circles, viz. an inner and outer circle (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig1">Figure 1</xref>). The Petri dishes were filled with 0.8% agarose. In the outer circle of each dish, 50 &#181;l of the salt being tested and distilled water were inoculated on opposite sides (S and W, respectively, in <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig1">Figure 1</xref>) and incubated for 1 h at 25˚C. Mixed stages of 30 M. incognita J<sub>2</sub> in 5 &#181;l were eventually transferred to the centre of the test arena and incubated at 25˚C darkness condition for 5 h. After this period, movement of nematodes was stopped by spraying the plates with ethanol. The numbers of nematodes from section 1 - 8 were counted. Five plates were tested for each concentration and the</p><fig id="fig1"  position="float"><label><xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig1">Figure 1</xref></label><caption><title> Test arena for investigating the chemotaxis of Meloidogyne incognita. S: salts; W: distilled water; N: nematodes</title></caption><graphic mimetype="image"   position="float"  xlink:type="simple"  xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x16.png"/></fig><p>control in which the salt was replaced by the distilled water. All the experiments were repeated four times.</p></sec><sec id="s2_4"><title>2.4. Data Analysis</title><p>The chemotactic index was defined as a positive number (attractant) or negative (repellent) number ranging from +2 cm to −2 cm (which means the average distance of the nematodes travelled from the centre of Petri dish). The chemotactic index was calculated based the equation as followed:</p><p><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x17.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>[<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref14">14</xref>]</p><p>where: p = nematode proportion in the selected sections 1 - 8 (the number of nematodes in these sections expressed as a percentage of the total number of nematodes inoculated onto the Petri dish); Id = distance index (2 cm for section 1 - 2, 1 cm for section 3 - 4, −1 cm for section 5 - 6, −2 cm for section 7 - 8).</p><p>The Duncan’s new multiple range test was used to analysis the significance between treatment and control (P &lt; 0.05).</p></sec></sec><sec id="s3"><title>3. Results</title><sec id="s3_1"><title>3.1. The Chemotactic Responses of M. incognita to Different Salts</title><p>The chemotactic responses of M. incognita to 48 different salts at six concentrations are shown in Figures 2-6. In general, the salts containing Cl<sup>−</sup> and SCN<sup>−</sup> anions were repellent to M. incognita (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig2">Figure 2</xref> and <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig3">Figure 3</xref>). Other salts that comprised the same anions had different chemotactic responses, among which M. incognita was repellented to ammonium salts that included Ba(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>, NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub>, Mn(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub> (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig4">Figure 4</xref>), and hydrogen-phos- phate salts that included KH<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub>, K<sub>2</sub>HPO<sub>4</sub>, and bicarbonate salts that included Na<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>, K<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>, (NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>, KHCO<sub>3</sub> (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig5">Figure 5</xref>), and hydroxyl salts that included KOH, NaOH, and organic acid that included CH<sub>3</sub>COOH, C<sub>3</sub>H<sub>6</sub>O<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub>H<sub>6</sub>O<sub>6</sub> (<xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig6">Figure 6</xref>).</p><p>The salts comprising the same cation had different chemotactic responses, some showed attraction, others repellent. The effects of different salts with the same cation were not consistent. The order of repellence for the anion was SCN<sup>−</sup> &gt; <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x18.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> &gt; Cl<sup>−</sup> &gt; OH<sup>−</sup> &gt; <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x19.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> &gt; <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x20.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> &gt; organic acid &gt;<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x21.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. Nematodes were more strongly repellent to salts containing SCN<sup>−</sup> and <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x21.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x22.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> than to those with other anions.</p></sec><sec id="s3_2"><title>3.2. The Chemotactic Indexes of M. incognita in Response to Different Salts</title><p>For each salt the chemotactic indexes varied with the concentration tested. The highest chemotactic index was 0.53 (the maximum value would be 2.0) and the lowest chemotactic index was −1.09 (minimum −2.0) from all the salts tested. Nematodes were significantly repellent to salts containing Cl<sup>−</sup> and SCN<sup>−</sup> anions at all test concentrations (<xref ref-type="table" rid="table1">Table 1</xref>). The chemotactic index of NH<sub>4</sub>Cl, KCl, CsCl, (NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>, FeSO<sub>4</sub>∙7H<sub>2</sub>O, Ba(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>, NH<sub>4</sub>H<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub>, K<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>, KHCO<sub>3</sub>, NaOH and C<sub>7</sub>H<sub>5</sub>NaO<sub>3</sub> at six concentrations were found no significant difference. CuCl<sub>2</sub>∙2H<sub>2</sub>O and CH<sub>3</sub>COONH<sub>4</sub> only the lowest concentration 0.0625 &#215; 10<sup>−</sup><sup>2</sup> mol∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup> gave attraction responses, while other concentration had repellence.</p><p>If comparing the repellent or attraction responses of M. incognita to the same salts at different concentration,</p><fig id="fig2"  position="float"><label><xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig2">Figure 2</xref></label><caption><title> Effect of salts containing chlorine anion on the chemotaxis of M. incognita</title></caption><graphic mimetype="image"   position="float"  xlink:type="simple"  xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x23.png"/></fig><fig id="fig3"  position="float"><label><xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig3">Figure 3</xref></label><caption><title> Effect of salts containing thiocyanate anion on the chemotaxis of M. incognita</title></caption><graphic mimetype="image"   position="float"  xlink:type="simple"  xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x24.png"/></fig><fig id="fig4"  position="float"><label><xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig4">Figure 4</xref></label><caption><title> Effect of salts containing nitrate anion on the chemotaxis of M. incognita</title></caption><graphic mimetype="image"   position="float"  xlink:type="simple"  xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x25.png"/></fig><fig id="fig5"  position="float"><label><xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig5">Figure 5</xref></label><caption><title> Effect of salts containing bicarbonate or carbonate on the chemotaxis of M. incognita</title></caption><graphic mimetype="image"   position="float"  xlink:type="simple"  xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x26.png"/></fig><p>the chemotactic index of KCl, Ba(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>, NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub>, Mn(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>, (NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>, CH<sub>3</sub>COOH, and C<sub>4</sub>H<sub>6</sub>O<sub>6</sub> increased with increasing concentration, whilst for the other salts tested the concentration did not influence nematode chemotaxis significantly.</p><fig id="fig6"  position="float"><label><xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig6">Figure 6</xref></label><caption><title> Effect of organic acid on the chemotaxis of M. incognita</title></caption><graphic mimetype="image"   position="float"  xlink:type="simple"  xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x27.png"/></fig></sec></sec><sec id="s4"><title>4. Discussion</title><p>Application of fertiliser is a standard practice in production [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref21">21</xref>] [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref22">22</xref>] and, as inorganic or organic salts in the soil are easily altered by crop fertilisers, understanding the effects of inorganic or organic salts on nematode orientation will be important as a potential basis for disrupting nematode orientation. The paper studied the effect of 37 inorganic salts on M. incognita movement and first reported 11 organic salts on M. incognita chemotactic responses, such as CH<sub>3</sub>COOH, CH<sub>3</sub>COONa, CH<sub>3</sub>COOK, CH<sub>3</sub>COONH<sub>4</sub>, CH<sub>3</sub>COOH, CH<sub>3</sub>COONa, CH<sub>3</sub>COOK, CH<sub>3</sub>COONH<sub>4</sub>, C<sub>3</sub>H<sub>6</sub>O<sub>3</sub>, C<sub>4</sub>H<sub>6</sub>O<sub>6</sub>, C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>8</sub>O<sub>7</sub>, C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>5</sub>Na<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub>, C<sub>7</sub>H<sub>5</sub>NaO<sub>3</sub>, C<sub>10</sub>H<sub>14</sub>N<sub>2</sub>Na<sub>2</sub>O<sub>8</sub> and CO(NH<sub>2</sub>)<sub>2</sub>.</p><p>Previous studies showed different nematodes had different attraction or repellent for some cations and anions. Saux and Qu&#233;n&#233;herv&#233; [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref14">14</xref>] showed that Na<sup>+</sup>, Mg<sup>2+</sup>, Cl<sup>−</sup> and OAc<sup>−</sup> had attraction to Rotylenchulus reniformis, and the chemotactic responses was governed more by the constitutive cation than by the constitutive anion. Ditylenchus destructor was attracted to salts that included Cl<sup>−</sup>, and<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x28.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>, whereas salts with <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x28.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x29.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x28.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x29.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x30.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> anions were repellent, but the salts comprising <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x28.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x29.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x30.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x31.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> had almost no effect on the nematode movement [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref18">18</xref>] . Castro showed that K<sup>+</sup>, <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x28.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x29.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x30.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x31.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x32.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>, Cs<sup>+</sup>, <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x28.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x29.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x30.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x31.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x32.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x33.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> and Cl<sup>−</sup> had strong repellent to J2 of M. incognita [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref13">13</xref>] . The current study provides information on the response of M. incognita to a range of inorganic salts. It demonstrates the repellent effect of salts containing Cl<sup>−</sup> and SCN<sup>−</sup>. The effects of cations on movement of M. incognita are not consistent, the same cations in different salts eliciting different chemotatic responses. We assume that the chemotaxis of different species of nematodes may show different responses to either anions or cations. Both CO (NH<sub>2</sub>)<sub>2</sub> and salts comprising<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x28.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x29.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x30.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x31.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x32.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x33.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x34.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>, which are components of the most frequently used fertilisers, have a very weak effect on the movement of M. incognita. Obviously, salts containing Cl<sup>−</sup> and SCN<sup>−</sup> are repellents for M. incognita. When combined with a chemical nematicide these salts may increase the effect of the nematicide and therefore reduce the dosage required for an efficient control of the nematode.</p><p>Castro showed the repellent effect of some cations and anions to infective second-stage juveniles of M. incognita, with the order of repellence as K<sup>+</sup> &gt; Cs<sup>+</sup>, <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x35.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x35.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x36.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> &gt; Cl<sup>−</sup> [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref13">13</xref>] . The current study demonstrated that SCN<sup>−</sup> had the strongest chemotactic responses. The order of repellence for the anion was SCN<sup>−</sup> &gt; <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x35.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x36.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x37.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> &gt; Cl<sup>−</sup> &gt; OH<sup>−</sup> &gt; <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x35.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x36.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x37.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x38.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> &gt; <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x35.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x36.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x37.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x38.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x39.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> &gt; organic acid &gt;<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x35.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x36.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x37.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x38.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x39.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x40.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. Saux and Qu&#233;n&#233;herv&#233; [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref14">14</xref>] reported Ca<sup>2+</sup> almost had no effect on J2 of M. incognita, while NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub> showed the strong repellence. This paper demonstrated that the salts comprising the same cation had different chemotactic responses. Some salts showed attraction, others repellent, among which M. incognita was repellented to ammonium salts that included Ba(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>, NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub>, Mn(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>, and hydrogen-phosphate salts that included KH<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub>, K<sub>2</sub>HPO<sub>4</sub>, and bicarbonate salts that included Na<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>, K<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>, (NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>, KHCO<sub>3</sub>, and hydroxyl salts that included KOH, NaOH. First report had repellent response organic acid for M. incognita was C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>4</sub>O<sub>2</sub>, C<sub>3</sub>H<sub>6</sub>O<sub>3</sub> and C<sub>4</sub>H<sub>6</sub>O<sub>6</sub>.</p><p>Salts not only affect nematode movement but also can affect nematode survival. The nematicidal activity of ammonia has been known for a long time. Among 10 ammonia-releasing compounds tested, NH<sub>4</sub>OH, (NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>HPO<sub>4</sub> and NH<sub>4</sub>HCO<sub>3</sub> showed marked nematicidal activities in pot experiments [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref23">23</xref>] . Ammonium sulphate applied with alkaline stabilized biosolid (ASB) significantly reduced the root-galling index of tomato plants infested with M. javanica compared with that of plants grown in soil treated with ammonium sulphate or ASB alone [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.59482-ref24">24</xref>] . Although <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x41.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> is not nematicidal, it can form NH<sub>3</sub>, which is toxic to nematodes in alkaline soil. It is possible that the salts containing cation <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x41.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/2-3001101x42.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> and an anion that elicits a repellence response, e.g. Cl<sup>−</sup> or SCN<sup>−</sup>, may have a better control effect than salts comprising other ions. Further studies are needed on this aspect.</p><table-wrap-group id="1"><label><xref ref-type="table" rid="table1">Table 1</xref></label><caption><title> Significant tests and its chemotactic index of different salt ions at different concentrations to Meloidogyne incognita</title></caption><table-wrap id="1_1"><table><tbody><thead><tr><th align="center" valign="middle"  rowspan="2"  >Salts</th><th align="center" valign="middle"  colspan="6"  >Concentration (&#215;10<sup>−</sup><sup>2</sup> mol∙L<sup>−</sup><sup>1</sup>)</th></tr></thead><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.0625</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.125</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.25</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.5</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >1</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >2</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >NaCl</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.08 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.41 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.25 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.03 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.43 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.41 b</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >KCl</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.15 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.24 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.14 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.14 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.38 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.42 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >FeCl<sub>3</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.76 c</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.38 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.62 bc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.37 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.52 bc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.13 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >NH<sub>4</sub>Cl</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.52 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.70 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.73 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.49 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.51 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.35 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >CsCl</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.60 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.15 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.39 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.09 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.15 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.54 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >CuCl<sub>2</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.2 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.41 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.51 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.15 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.22 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.47 b</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >CuSO<sub>4</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.33 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.15 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.23 c</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.2 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.07 bc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.24 ab</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >Na<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.03 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.21 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.14 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.30 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.19 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.02 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >MnSO<sub>4</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.24 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.02 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.24 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.37 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.12 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.19 b</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >(NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub>∙FeSO<sub>4</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.18 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.23 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.31 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.23 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.07 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.24 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >FeSO<sub>4</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.11 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.16 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.11 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.05 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.29 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.30 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >(NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.24 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.48 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.14 cd</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.003 bc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.13 cd</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.44 d</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >K<sub>2</sub>SO<sub>4</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.05 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.16 bc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.44 c</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.10 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.24 bc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.28 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >NaNO<sub>3</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.25 bc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.35 cd</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.57 d</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.12 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.03 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.37 cd</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >KNO<sub>3</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.05 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.04 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.19 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.43 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.58 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.49 b</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >Ba(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.17 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.28 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.35 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.39 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.33 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.54 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.24 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.15 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.5 abc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.71 bc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.36 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.86 c</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >Mn(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.46 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.34 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.65 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.61 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.63 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.78 b</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >(NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>HPO<sub>4</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.36 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.54 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.1 abc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.27 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.41 c</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.14 bc</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >NaH<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub>∙2H<sub>2</sub>O</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.17 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.06 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.36 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.48 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.14 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.24 ab</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >NH<sub>4</sub>H<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.28 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.06 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.1 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.09 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.45 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.26 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >Na<sub>2</sub>HPO<sub>4</sub>∙12H<sub>2</sub>O</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.14 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.21 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.25 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.04 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.69 c</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.74 c</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >KH<sub>2</sub>PO<sub>4</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.35 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.18 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.15 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.39 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.47 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.17 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >K<sub>2</sub>HPO<sub>4</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.36 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.17 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.96 c</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.36 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.73 bc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.61 abc</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >CaCO<sub>3</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.53 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.17 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.03 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.07 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.18 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.28 b</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >NaHCO<sub>3</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.11 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.2 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.53 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.15 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.09 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.1 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >Na<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.13 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.09 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.17 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.1 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.57 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.6 b</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >NH<sub>4</sub>HCO<sub>3</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.05 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.22 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.27 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.34 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.35 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−1.09 b</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >(NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.31 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.27 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.38 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.64 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.56 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.87 b</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >KHCO<sub>3</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.54 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.4 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.54 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.47 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.68 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.47 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >K<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.21 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.61 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.67 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.69 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.64 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.63 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >CH<sub>3</sub>COONa</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.44 c</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.53 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.04 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.1 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.22 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.03 b</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >CH<sub>3</sub>COONH<sub>4</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.33 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.17 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.13 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.26 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.15 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.35 b</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >CH<sub>3</sub>COOH</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.15 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.01 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.19 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.33 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.33 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.69 b</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >CH<sub>3</sub>COOK</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.32 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.15 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.31 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.59 bc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.45 bc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.86 c</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >NH<sub>4</sub>SCN</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.16 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.57 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.44 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.74 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.66 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.58 ab</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >NaSCN</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.62 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.33 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.35 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.76 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.6 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.75 b</td></tr></tbody></table></table-wrap><table-wrap id="1_2"><table><tbody><thead><tr><th align="center" valign="middle" >KSCN</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >−0.51 a</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >−0.66 ab</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >−1.06 b</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >−0.63 ab</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >−0.78 ab</th><th align="center" valign="middle" >−1.01 b</th></tr></thead><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >Na<sub>2</sub>Wo<sub>4</sub>∙2H<sub>2</sub>O</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.22 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.48 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.27 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.12 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.29 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.31 ab</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >C<sub>7</sub>H<sub>5</sub>NaO<sub>3</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.23 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.19 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.53 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.33 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.29 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.19 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>5</sub>Na<sub>3</sub>O<sub>7</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.27 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.17 b</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.13 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.18 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.18 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0 ab</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >C<sub>10</sub>H<sub>14</sub>N<sub>2</sub>Na<sub>2</sub>O<sub>8</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.24 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.29 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.55 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.55 c</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.28 bc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.3 bc</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >C<sub>6</sub>H<sub>8</sub>O<sub>7</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.08 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.24 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.06 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.16 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.42 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.16 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >C<sub>4</sub>H<sub>6</sub>O<sub>6</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.04 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.37 abc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.2 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.35 abc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.53 bc</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.67 c</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >C<sub>3</sub>H<sub>6</sub>O<sub>3</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.18 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.2 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.45 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.5 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.26 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.65 b</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >CO(NH<sub>2</sub>)<sub>2</sub></td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.14 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.13 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.06 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.12 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.6 b</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >NaOH</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >0.2 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.19 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.17 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.3 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.13 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.36 a</td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" >KOH</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.42 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.22 a</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.43 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.46 ab</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.83 c</td><td align="center" valign="middle" >−0.78 bc</td></tr></tbody></table></table-wrap></table-wrap-group><p>Note: The data in the figure are mean. Different lowercase letters within the same row show significant differences at P &lt; 0.05 levels by Duncan’s new multiple range test.</p></sec><sec id="s5"><title>5. Conclusion</title><p>In the present study, the chemotaxis of M. incognita in response to different concentration of salts is variable. For most salts tested, such as KCl, Ba(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>, NH<sub>4</sub>NO<sub>3</sub>, Mn(NO<sub>3</sub>)<sub>2</sub>, (NH<sub>4</sub>)<sub>2</sub>CO<sub>3</sub>, CH<sub>3</sub>COOH and C<sub>4</sub>H<sub>6</sub>O<sub>6</sub>, their chemotactic indices increased with the increasing concentration, whilst for some salts tested their concentration did not influence nematode chemotaxis significantly.</p></sec><sec id="s6"><title>Acknowledgements</title><p>This work was supported by the Special Fund for Public Benefit (Agriculture, No. 201103018), and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31000845).</p></sec><sec id="s7"><title>Cite this paper</title><p>YonghongQi,LiMeng,SufangCao,MinquanLi,ShulongChen,DeyouYe, (2015) Chemotaxis of Meloidogyne incognita in Response to Different Salts. Agricultural Sciences,06,900-907. doi: 10.4236/as.2015.69086</p></sec><sec id="s8"><title>NOTES</title></sec></body><back><ref-list><title>References</title><ref id="scirp.59482-ref1"><label>1</label><mixed-citation publication-type="journal" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Steiner</surname><given-names> G. </given-names></name>,<etal>et al</etal>. (<year>1925</year>)<article-title>The Problem of Host Selection and Host Specialization of Certain Plant-Infesting Nemas and Its Application in the Study of Nemic Pests</article-title><source> Phytopathology</source><volume> 15</volume>,<fpage> 499</fpage>-<lpage>534</lpage>.<pub-id pub-id-type="doi"></pub-id></mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref2"><label>2</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Bird, A.F. (1959) The Attractiveness of Roots to the Plant Parasitic Nematodes Meloidogyne javanica and M. hapla. Nematologica, 4, 322-335. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/187529259X00534</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref3"><label>3</label><mixed-citation publication-type="book" xlink:type="simple">Perry, R.N. (1997) Plant Signals in Nematode Hatching and Attraction. In: Fenoll, C., Grundler, F.M.W. and Ohl, S.A., Eds., Cellular and Molecular Aspects of Plant-Nematode Interactions, Kluwer Academic Press, Dordrecht.  
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-94-011-5596-0_4</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref4"><label>4</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Devine, K.J. and Jones, P.W. (2002) Investigations into the Chemoattraction of the Potato Cyst Nematodes Globodera rostochiensis and G. pallida towards Fractionated Potato Root Leachate. Nematology, 5, 65-75.  
http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156854102765216704</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref5"><label>5</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Bird, A.F. (1962) Orientation of the Larvae of Meloidogyne javanica Relative to Roots. Nematologica, 8, 275-287.  
http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/187529262X00062</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref6"><label>6</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Jairajpuri, M.S. and Azmi, M.I. (1978) Aggregation and Repulsion of Nematodes at pH Gradients. Nematologia Mediterranea, 6,107-112.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref7"><label>7</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Pline, M. and Dusenbery, D.B. (1987) Responses of Plant-Parasitic Nematode Meloidogyne incognita to Carbon Dioxide Determined by Video Camera-Computer Tracking. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 13, 873-888.  
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01020167</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref8"><label>8</label><mixed-citation publication-type="journal" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Robinson</surname><given-names> A.F. </given-names></name>,<etal>et al</etal>. (<year>1995</year>)<article-title>Optimal Release Rates for Attracting Meloidogyne incognita, Rotylenchulus reniformis and other Nematodes to Carbon Dioxide in Sand</article-title><source> Journal of Nematology</source><volume> 27</volume>,<fpage> 42</fpage>-<lpage>50</lpage>.<pub-id pub-id-type="doi"></pub-id></mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref9"><label>9</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">El-Sherif, M. and Mai, W.F. (1969) Thermotactic Response of Some Plant Parasitic Nematodes. Journal of Nematology, 1, 43-48.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref10"><label>10</label><mixed-citation publication-type="journal" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Robinson</surname><given-names> A.F. </given-names></name>,<etal>et al</etal>. (<year>1994</year>)<article-title>Movement of Five Nematode Species through Sand Subjected to Natural Temperature Gradient Fluctuations</article-title><source> Journal of Nematology</source><volume> 27</volume>,<fpage> 42</fpage>-<lpage>50</lpage>.<pub-id pub-id-type="doi"></pub-id></mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref11"><label>11</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Greet, D.N., Green, C.D. and Poulton, M.E. (1968) Extraction, Standardization and Assessment of the Volatility of the Sex Attractants of Heterodera rostochiensis Woll. and H. schachtii Schm. Annals of Applied Biology, 61, 511-519.  
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7348.1968.tb04553.x</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref12"><label>12</label><mixed-citation publication-type="journal" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Prot</surname><given-names> J.C. </given-names></name>,<etal>et al</etal>. (<year>1979</year>)<article-title>Behaviour of Juveniles of Meloidogyne javanica in Salts Gradients</article-title><source> Revue de Nématologie</source><volume> 2</volume>,<fpage> 11</fpage>-<lpage>16</lpage>.<pub-id pub-id-type="doi"></pub-id></mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref13"><label>13</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Castro, C.E., Belser, N.O., Mckinney, H.E. and Thomason, I.J. (1990) Strong Repellency of the Root Knot Nematode, Meloidogyne incognita by Specific Inorganic Ions. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 16, 1297-1309.  
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF01021019</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref14"><label>14</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Saux, R.L. and Quénéhervé, P. (2002) Differential Chemotactic Responses of Two Plant-Parasitic Nematodes, Meloidogyne incognita and Rotylenchulus reniformis, to Some Inorganic Ions. Nematology, 4, 99-105.  
http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156854102760082258</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref15"><label>15</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Perry, R.N. (1996) Chemoreception in Plant-Parasitic Nematodes. Annual Reviews of Phytopathology, 34, 181-189.  
http://dx.doi.org/10.1146/annurev.phyto.34.1.181</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref16"><label>16</label><mixed-citation publication-type="journal" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Perry</surname><given-names> R.N. </given-names></name>,<etal>et al</etal>. (<year>2005</year>)<article-title>An Evaluation of Types of Attractants Enabling Plant-Parasitic Nematodes to Locate Plant Roots</article-title><source> Russian Journal of Nematology</source><volume> 13</volume>,<fpage> 83</fpage>-<lpage>88</lpage>.<pub-id pub-id-type="doi"></pub-id></mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref17"><label>17</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Riddle, D.L. and Bird, A.F. (1985) Responses of the Plant Parasitic Nematodes Rotylenchulus reniformis, Anguina agrostis and Meloidogyne javanica to Chemical Attractants. Parasitology, 91, 185-195.  
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0031182000056626</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref18"><label>18</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Qi, Y.H., Li, X.H., Ma, J., Li, M.Q. and Chen, S.L. (2008) Chemotaxis of Ditylenchus destructor in Response to Different Inorganic Ions. Russian Journal of Nematology, 2, 69-76.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref19"><label>19</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Gao, Y., Qi, Y.H., Liu, Y.G., Du, H. and Lv, H.P. (2009) Identification of the Root-Knot Nematode on Tomato in Hexi Region of Gansu Province. Plant Protection, 3, 127-129.</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref20"><label>20</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Wuyts, N., Swennen, R. and De Waele, D. (2006) Effect of Plant Phenylpropanoid Pathway Products and Selected Terpenoids and Alkaloids on the Behaviour of the Plant-Parasitic Nematodes Radopholus similes, Pratylenchus penetrans and Meloidogyne incognita. Nematology, 8, 89-101. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156854106776179953</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref21"><label>21</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Wang, W., Chen, W.C., Wang, K.R., Xie, X.L., Yin, C.M. and Chen, A.L. (2011) Effects of Long-Term Fertilization on the Distribution of Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Water-Stable Aggregates in Paddy Soil. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 10, 1932-1940. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s1671-2927(11)60194-6</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref22"><label>22</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Wang, Y., Chi, S.Y., Ning, T.Y., Tian, S.Z. and Li, Z.J. (2013) Coupling Effects of Irrigation and Phosphorus Fertilizer Applications on Phosphorus Uptake and Use Efficiency of Winter Wheat. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 2, 263-272. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(13)60225-7</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref23"><label>23</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Oka, Y. and Pivonia, S. (2002) Use of Ammonia-Releasing Compounds for Control of the Root-Knot Nematode Meloidogyne javanica. Nematology, 4, 65-71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156854102760082212</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.59482-ref24"><label>24</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Oka, Y., Tkachi, N., Shuker, S., Rosenberg, R., Suriano, S., Roded, L. and Fine, P. (2006) Field Studies on the Enhancement of Nematicidal Activity of Ammonia-Releasing Fertilizer by Alkaline Amendments. Nematology, 8, 881-893. http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/156854106779799268</mixed-citation></ref></ref-list></back></article>