janielouy said:I was giving a talk about borer prevention and control and one of my members said that nematodes will kill your daffodils (she is an officer in the Daffodil Society) but do not know about other bulbs for those of you who have mixed gardens.
I read the article about Presby Memorial and and interested to see the results.
...... for an officer and presumably a knowledgeable gardener, the above daffodil person needs to further educate herself about nematodes.
The following beneficial genera/species are strictly predatory, so they hunt/seek out soil dwelling animal life to inhabit and kill. They are not pathogenic or horticulturally harmful to plants.
Steinernema feltiae,
Steinernema carpocapsae,
Heterorhabditis bacteriophora.
These species are primarily the ones used in bio control products containing nematodes.
http://nematodes.com/
There is also a species that preys on other nematodes, Mononchoides fortidens, but I don't know if this nematode is part of any bio control product.
Now she is correct about destructive nematodes that can harm bulbs, daffodils included.
Stem Nematodes Eelworm - Dityenchus dipsaci
Root Lesion Nematode, Pratylenchus penetrans
and a uncommon species, a bulb and leaf nematode, Aphlenchoides subtenuis
however, the beneficial species I mentioned above
will not infect or attack plants
