P-445 - Protecting North Carolina tobacco: the search for resistant varieties against Meloidogyne enterolobii

North Carolina is the top producer of flue-cured tobacco in the US, with approximately 114,000 acres harvested in 2024. Since its 2011 discovery in the state, the guava root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne enterolobii, has challenged growers due to the lack of known resistant tobacco varieties. Previous research identified potential M. enterolobii resistance in diverse tobacco germplasm, yet confirmation of this resistance is still needed. This study documented and confirmed host status to M. enterolobii among 20 lines of Nicotiana tabacum, other Nicotiana spp., and tobacco breeding lines carrying genes from wild Nicotiana relatives. In greenhouse trials, plants were each inoculated with 10,000 M. enterolobii eggs. Sixty days post-inoculation, nematode reproduction and disease severity was recorded through egg counts per gram of root and root galling severity, respectively. This research will inform nematode management strategies and guide the selection of resistant tobacco varieties, ultimately supporting efforts to combat M. enterolobii.