The Leaf eelworm is one of the most difficult plant parasites to detect. These parasitic nematodes are found in damp soil and attack both plants and animals. Leaf eelworms are commonly confused with bud eelworms, but as the name suggests, leaf eelworms concentrate on the leafy foliage, whereas bud eelworms are commonly found among the buds of young stems. Plants most susceptible to leaf eelworm infections include all varieties of African violets, ornamental ferns, chrysanthemums and buddleia shrubs.
Symptoms of Leaf Eelworms
If the plant has a sustained, discolored appearance, but common symptoms of pest or plant diseases are absent, eelworm infection is almost certain. Eelworm infestation becomes apparent during the late summer season and autumn when the young foliage develops a very dull appearance without any fungal or bacterial infections being established.
The leaves don’t have an easy-to-detect brownish appearance that is common to most plant diseases. Instead, the leaves appear thinner, darker and slightly wilted. If the leaf discoloration is accompanied by vein-like marks appearing on the younger flowers, then bud eelworms are also present. These flower lesions are usually angular in shape.
Home-based Eelworm Testing
- Break-off some leaves from a plant suspected of eelworm infection.
- Crush the leaves and put them into a glass filled with clean water.
- If there are any live eelworms, they will start surfacing in the container in about 30 minutes. Some eelworms might sink to the bottom of the glass.
This test is not exact and is only useful in detecting developed, mature eelworms.
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