Ditylenchus dipsaci Kuhn, 1857
Stem and bulb nematode on numerous herbaceous plants

GALL
The nematode feeds on the parenchyma of the aboveground parts of the plant. The stems are shortened and thickened; no gall chambers. Also the leaves have spongy swellings, and show growth disturbances. The inflorescence is stunted and disfigured. In section nematodes can be seen, especially by teasing apart a small piece of the gall in water; they are 1-2 mm in length.

HOST PLANTS
strongly polyphagous on herbaceous plants

Aethusa cynapium; Agrostemma githago; Agrostis stolonifera; Allium cepa, proliferum, schoenoprasum, vineale; Amberboa moschata; Anagallis arvensis; Anemone coronaria, “japonica”; Angelica archangelica; Anthoxanthum odoratum; Anthriscus sylvestris; Anthyllis vulneraria; Apera spica-venti; Apium graveolens; Arabidopsis thaliana; Arabis alpina subsp. caucasica, hirsuta; Arenaria serpyllifolia; Argentina anserina; Armoracia rusticana; Arnoseris minima; Arrhenatherum elatius & subsp. bulbosum; Artemisia campestris; “Aster”; Atriplex hortensis, patula; Aubrieta deltoidea; Avena fatua, sativa; Bellevalia; Bellis; Brassica napus; Callistephus chinensis; Camelina microcarpa, sativa; Campanula carpatica; Cannabis sativa; Capsella bursa-pastoris; Capsicum annuum; Cardamine hirsuta, pratensis; Cardaria draba; Carduus crispus; Carlina vulgaris; Carum carvi, verticillatum; Cerastium arvense, fontanum subsp. vulgare, semidecandrum; Chelone glabra; Chenopodium album, foliosum; Cichorium intybus;Cirsium arvense, oleraceum, tataricum; Colchicum autumnale; Convolvulus arvensis Crepis biennis, capillaris, foetida & subsp. rhoeadifolia, leontodontoides, paludosa, tectorum, vesicaria subsp. taraxacifolia; Cucumis melo, sativus; Cyanus segetum; Dactylis glomerata; Daucus carota; Delphinium; Dianthus barbatus, caryophyllus, chinensis; Digitalis purpurea; Dipsacus fullonum, sativus; Echinochloa crus-galli; Eplobium palustre; Erigeron canadensis; Erodium cicutarium; Erysimum bicolor, cheiri, x marshallii; Fagopyrum esculentum; Falcaria vulgaris; Fallopia convolvulus, dumetorum; Festuca; Fragaria; Fumaria officinalis; Gagea pratensis; Galanthus nivalis; Galeopsis angustifola, ladanum, speciosa, tetrahit; Galinsoga parviflora; Galium; Geranium dissectum, molle; Gladiolus; Gnaphalium uliginosum; Helianthus annuus, tuberosus; Hepatica nobilis; Hieracium prenanthoides; Hirschfeldia incana; Holcus lanatus; Hordeum vulgare; Hyacinthoides hispanica; Hyacinthus; Hydrangea macrophylla; Hyoscyamus aureus, niger; Hypochaeris maculata, radicata Iris; Isatis tinctoria; Juncus bufonius; Kickxia spuria; Knautia arvensis; Koeleria pyramidata; Lactuca serriola; Lamium amplexicaule, purpureum; Lathyrus odoratus; Leontodon hispidus & subsp. hastilis, incanus; Lepidium coronopus; Leucanthemum maximum, vulgare; Linaria arvensis; Linum tenuifolium, usitatissimum; Lipandra polysperma; Lolium perenne, multiflorum; Lupinus angustifolius, luteus; Lycopersicon esculentum; Lycopsis arvensis; Lysimachia punctata, vulgaris; Medicago lupulina, sativa; Melampyrum arvense; Melilotus albus, officinalis; Mentha arvensis, pulegium; Mercurialis; Muscari botryoides; Myosotis micrantha; Myosurus minimus; Narcissus poeticus subsp. radiiflorus; Nicotiana tabacum; Ochlopoa annua; Odontites; Oenothera biennis; Onobrychis viciifolia; Ornithogalum candicans; Ornithopus perpusillus, sativus; Panicum miliaceum; Papaver dubium, rhoeas, setigerum; Pastinaca sativa; Penstemon barbatus, eatonii, fruticosus, gentianoides, hartwegii; Persicaria dubia, lapathifolia, maculosa, minor; Petroselinum crispum; Phacelia tanacetifolia; Phaseolus vulgaris; Phleum pratense; Phlox amoena, paniculata; Picris hieracioides; Pilosella cymosa, officinarum; Pisum sativum; Plantago cornutii, holosteum, lanceolata, major, maritima, media; Poa trivialis; Polygonum aviculare; Primula veris; Ranunculus acris, arvensis, auricomus, bulbosus, repens, sceleratus; Raphanus raphanistrum; Rheum rhabarbarum, rhaponticum; Rhinanthus angustifolius; Rumex acetosa, acetosella, crispus; Saponaria ocymoides, officinalis; Satureja hortensis; Saussurea alpina; Saxifraga umbrosa; Scilla bifolia, sibirica; Scorzonera hispanica; Scorzoneroides autumnalis, pyrenaica; Scrophularia nodosa, umbrosa; Secale cereale; Senecio vulgaris; Silene armeria, bupleuroides, coelirosa, gallica, italica, latifolia, noctiflora, nutans, reichenbachii, viridiflora; Sinapis alba, arvensis; Solanum tuberosum; Solidago canadensis; Sonchus asper, arvensis, bulbosus, oleraceus; Spergula arvensis, morisonii, pentandra; Spinacia oleracea; Stachys arvensis, palustris, setifera; Stellaria media; Tagetes patula; Tanacetum cinerariifolium, vulgare; Taraxacum officinale; Thlaspi; Tragopogon pratensis; Trifolium arvense, campestre, dubium, hybridum, incarnatum, medium, pratense, repens; Triglochin maritima, palustris; Trigonella foenum-graecum; Tripleurospermum inodorum; Triticum aestivum; Tropaeolum majus; Tulipa; Urtica urens; Valeriana officinalis; Valerianella locusta; Veronica agrestis, arvensis, chamaedrys, hederifolia, opaca, peregrina, praecox, serpyllifolia, spicata; Vicia cracca, faba, hirsuta, pannonica, sativa, tetrasperma, villosa; Viola arvensis, tricolor, x wittrockiana; Vitis vinifera; Zea mays.

NOTES
When food runs out, the nematodes may migrate to the surface. Depending on the circumstances the nematodes may become dehydrated and become “worm wool”, perfectly apt for wind dispersal.

SYNONYMS
Anguillulina dipsaci; Ditylenchus phloxidis Kirjanova, 1951; Tylenchus devastatrix (Kühn) Oerley; Tylenchus hyacinthi Prillieux, 1881; Tylenchus havensteini Kühn, 1881.

PHOTOS: Click below

Over 450 hosts for genus, but 8-10 host races or biotypes, some with limited host range.

Plants become distorted and stunted; infected tissues are spongy; damage can predispose plants to other problems.

Field shows irregular areas of sparse growth.

Clover and Alfalfa: [R]eduction of internode length and swollen stems.

Onions, Garlic: Bloated, twisted, swollen leaves, distorted and cracked bulbs.

Oats and Rye: Extra tillers, swollen leaf bases.

Narcissus: Leaves distorted, yellowish swelling