In Kansas, these nematodes are associated with the deep, sandy soils of the flood plain of the Arkansas River and its tributaries in the southwestern and south central regions of the state. Most agronomic, fruit, and vegetable crops are hosts for the nematode, but in Kansas, damages more commonly observed on irrigated corn, sorghum, and soybeans. Yield losses can be severe, approaching 100 percent in localized areas of infested fields. It is found almost exclusively in soils with a sand content of 80 percent or higher and thrives best in irrigated cropland where there is a constant supply of moisture. Sting nematodes do not enter plant roots.
All life stages remain in the soil, feeding at or near root tips.
Symptoms Primary damage from the sting nematode is to the roots of the plant. The degree of injury to the roots varies with the age of the plant when attacked. In general, symptoms consist of greatly reduced root systems with short, stubby roots having dark, shrunken lesions, particularly at the tips. This text was extracted from the publication, L817.