Under these conditions females in roots and eggs were recovered after 7 days. It is possible that crops or even cultivars may alter the relationship between optimal nematode infection and temperature, but probably at extreme temperatures. A population from Louisiana did not survive one month under these conditions, and all three populations did not survive one month in moist soil at these temperatures. Once temperatures really start to fall, air-dried soil provides better chances for survival than moist soil probably because ice crystals begin to form at these low temperatures. R. reniformis generally remains in the first 15 cm of soil.
Distribution is irregular and is greatest in or around roots of susceptible plants.
The overall distance traveled by a nematode probably does not exceed one meter per season. In addition, nematodes can be easily transported by anything that moves or carries particles of soil. A number of susceptible crops have resistant or somewhat resistant cultivars to the reniform nematode. For example, coffee cultivar Guraini has shown resistance while Numdo Novo and Catuai are less resistant. This raises the soil temperature so that it becomes unfavorable to reniform nematodes and has resulted in temporary decreases of nematode populations for chickpea, pigeonpea, cowpea, and lettuce.