A Pilot Approach Investigating the Potential of Crop Rotation With Sainfoin to Reduce Meloidogyne enterolobii Infection of Maize Under Greenhouse Conditions.

Milad Rashidifard,Sarina Claassens,Samad Ashrafi,Hendrika Fourie,Torsten Thünen

doi:10.3389/fpls.2021.659322

Milad Rashidifard, Sarina Claassens + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.659322

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Abstract

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are one of the most important plant-parasitic nematodes of cereal crops in sub-Saharan Africa. This study was designed to evaluate the rotation effects of different cultivars of sainfoin (Esparsette, Perly, Taja and Visnovsky), soybean (DM-5953-RSF) and alfalfa (BAR 7) with maize (P-2432-R), on a Meloidogyne enterolobii population, compared to monoculture maize. The results showed that sainfoin (Perly and Esparsette) and alfalfa had significantly (P ≤ 0.05) lower numbers of M. enterolobii eggs and second stage juveniles (J2) compared to the monoculture maize in the first experiment. However, in the repeat experiment all treatments had significantly (P ≤ 0.05) lower numbers of eggs and J2 compared to monoculture maize. Rotation of sainfoin Esparsette/maize resulted in the lowest numbers of eggs and J2 (91 and 202, respectively) in the first and repeat experiments. Rotation of sainfoin Esparsette/maize reduced M. enterolobii population density by 81 and 60% in the first and repeat experiments, respectively, followed by alfalfa (54 and 43%, respectively). Ultimately, substantial variation was evident in terms of the efficacy of different sainfoin cultivars with regards to their effect on nematode reduction when used in rotation with maize.

Highlights

Due to an increasing human population, more food has to be produced with cereal crops representing the staple food source for human and livestock consumption worldwide (FAO, 2017)
Significant interaction was observed for all parameters for experiment x treatments, showing that the maize plants reacted differently with regard to the M. enterolobii population densities representing the different crop treatments during the two experiments
The rotation of sainfoin (Esparsette)/maize and soil amendment with the roots and aerial parts of this cultivar resulted in the lowest numbers of M. enterolobii eggs and J2 per root system (91 and 202, respectively) in the first and repeat experiments

Summary

Introduction

Due to an increasing human population, more food has to be produced with cereal crops representing the staple food source for human and livestock consumption worldwide (FAO, 2017). While M. incognita and M. javanica, followed by M. arenaria, are considered the predominant root-knot nematode species parasitizing local maize crops, M. enterolobii has been discovered in a major maize producing area of the country (Pretorius, 2018). The latter species is known for its higher pathogenicity toward agricultural crops and especially for its virulence since it overcomes resistance in crops that are effective to its counterpart thermophilic species (Kiewnick et al, 2009)

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