I've read about nematodes and how a water treatment exists but it seemed very difficult to implement. But I've thought about it, and think that anyone one of us could manage to home treat our peonies if needed.
Here is the background info...
"If the water is kept at 45°C (113°F), root knot nematodes will also be killed. But still higher temperatures above 45°C will damage the roots. To keep water at such constant temperature, one will have to heat up a large amount of water where temperature rises and drops happen only very gradually, and keep the water moving around. In the Netherlands this is usually outsourced: some professional companies do this hot-water-treatment for the growers. Special machinery is made for this."
Treatment time is 60 to 120 minutes with larger roots getting more time.
Sous Vide cooking involved heating water to very precise temperatures. The price of Sous Vide devices has gone from thousands of dollars to around $60 for a fairly good unit and 45°C is a temperature that a device could easily maintain. However, the water for a sous vide device cannot be contaminated with soil or muck but this is not a large obstacle.
The solution would be to get a 1/2 gallon or 1 gallon silicon bag, put the root into the bag and add water - you are trying to have no air in the bag. Then place the sealed bag into the water and heat it with a Sous Vide device to the correct temp and maintain it for 90 minutes or so.
Obviously the production scale would be very modest, but you might also find that you like Sous Vide cooked foods :)
Hopefully no one ever needs this!
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