VERY strange roots

I have a japanese holly, about 7 years old. I was watering it today and I noticed what looked like a chunk of cement in the pot. Closer inspection revealed a square chunk of root, about 3" by 3" by 2", made completely of what I can only describe as "globular chunks of wood." It was growing off a root, and had some roots at the bottom of it. I picked at it a little, bits and pieces came off readily. Perhaps in haste, I removed the whole thing. Does anyone have any idea what it was? very bizarre...

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It sounds like it might be a root gall caused by a case of nematodes. *These range in size from microscopic up to *3/8" long eel-shaped worms that live in the soil and can infect roots, resulting in localized swelling or galls.

There are some "beneficial nematodes" but those don't generally result in disfiguring activities. *

The galls vary in sizes and some plants are more susceptible than others. *The bad Nematodes seem to prefer crabapples and other fruiting varieties.

I am having a hard time finding links with photos but you can try the following:

http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC2352.htm

http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/pp/notes/oldnotes/od7.htm


The following site has a picture of nematode gall on holly, but it doesn't come up consistently. So try several times and at a later time if it seems broken or dead. *The link is right.

http://www.aces.edu/department/extcomm/publications/anr/ANR-1087/anr1087eight.html

Treatment is tough. *I have seen a dip or soil drench that was available, but i don't recall the name.

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I checked out those web sites, I'm fairly sure it's a gall caused by bacteria, not nematodes. The nematode galls are described as relatively small, this one as I said is a couple of inches acrosss. Are there any common bactericides or other treatments I could use to get rid of the bacteria?