Involvement of nematodes in the soil sickness of a dryland rice-based cropping system

Abstract

The population dynamics of nematodes in relation to the soil sickness problem were examined in a dryland rice-based cropping system under field conditions for 3 consecutive croppings, and in pot culture for 2 cropping seasons. Dryland rice suppressed the root-infecting nematodes and, therefore, nematodes may not be considered a factor in dryland rice soil sickness. In the dryland rice-mung bean rotation, there was a tendency for the nematode genus Rotylenchulus to increase in number during mung bean cropping. This may have led to a pathologic effect at later stages of mung bean growth. Continuous cropping of mung bean encouraged a high population of root-infecting Rotylenchulus, and may be related to the poor growth of young plants, which is the common but non-specific observed symptom of mung bean soil sickness. There are indications of a similarity in nematode involvement in the soil sickness of mung bean and cowpea. The pot experiments suggested involvement of nematodes in the inhibition of mung bean growth due to continuous cropping, since nematicide application improved the mung bean growth. The possible involvement of fungi was also indicated by the improvement of mung bean growth after fungicide applications to the soil. Addition of nematodes resulted in a reduction of mung bean growth in the irradiated sick soil, but not in the untreated healthy soil. This suggests involvement of other factors, which may intensify the pathogenicity of the nematodes in sick soil. © 1981 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Source or Periodical Title

Soil Science and Plant Nutrition

ISSN

380768

Page

305-315

Document Type

Article

Subject

Dryland rice, Mung bean, Nematode, Soil sickness

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