Effects of nutrient omission on the reproduction of Meloidogyne javanica in soybean

Abstract

With the expansion of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merrill) crop to more sandy soils with lower organic matter (OM) content, the presence of nematodes is one of the main limiting factors for grain yield. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of nutrient omission in soybean in relation to the reproduction of Meloidogyne javanica. The experiment was carried out using a completely randomized design in a 2 × 12 factorial arrangement. The treatments were with (+) and without (-) nematode inoculation and nutrient omission (complete, -N, -P, -K, -limestone, -S, -B, -Cu, -Fe, -Mn, -Zn, and control without fertilization), and six replicates. Nematode reproduction (NR), number of nematodes in the roots (NNR), root length (RL), root fresh weight (RFW), shoot fresh weight (SFW), shoot dry weight (SDW), root length, number of pods and flowers, chlorophyll content, and nutritional status of the plant were observed. The reproduction factor and number of nematodes were related to RFW. Apart from RL, in the absence of -N, -limestone, and -S, the presence of the nematode in the substrate caused a reduction in all yield components, and N omission presented the greatest restrictive effect, with reductions of 25.3%, 81.6%, and 84.8% in RFW, SFW, and SDW, respectively, compared to control treatment.