Plant parasitic nematodes (PPNs) cause significant damage to wine grapes worldwide. However, little is known about PPN communities infesting Georgia’s vineyards. To understand which PPNs pose threats and to determine potential associations between PPNs and soil characteristics, a systematic survey was conducted in vineyards across Georgia’s three major wine grape production regions. I found twelve PPN genera on Georgia grapes. Multivariate analyses indicated that the PPN community composition and soil characteristics were region-associated. Of all the measured soil characteristics, LBCEQ (lime buffer capacity at equilibrium) was routinely identified as the strongest edaphic determinant of the PPN communities. Meloidogyne spp. presence was statistically associated with the percentage of sand, pH, and LBCEQ in a North Georgia vineyard. Species-level identification of Xiphinema is necessary to fully evaluate their threat to Georgia producers, as some Xiphinema spp. vector grape-damaging nepoviruses. Field experiments indicated that post-plant nematicides are unlikely to effectively control PPNs.
