Abstract
Sorghum/sorghum–sudangrass hybrids (SSgH) have been used as a cover crop to improve soil health by adding soil organic matter, enhancing microbial activities, and suppressing soil-borne pathogens in various cropping systems. A series of SSgH were screened for (1) allelopathic suppression and (2) improvement of soil edaphic factors and soil microbial profile against plant-parasitic nematode (PPNs). The allelopathic potential of SSgH against PPNs is hypothesized to vary by variety and age. In two greenhouse bioassays, ‘NX-D-61′ sorghum and the ‘Latte’ SSgH amendment provided the most suppressive allelopathic effect against the female formation of Meloidogyne incognita on mustard green seedlings when using 1-, 2-, or 3-month-old SSgH tissue, though most varieties showed a decrease in allelopathic effect as SSgH mature. A field trial was conducted where seven SSgH varieties were grown for 2.5 months and terminated using a flail mower, and eggplant was planted in a no-till system. Multivariate analysis of measured parameters revealed that increase in soil moisture, microbial biomass, respiration rate, nematode enrichment index, and sorghum biomass were negatively related to the initial abundance of PPNs and the root-gall index at 5 months after planting eggplant in a no-till system. These results suggested that improvement of soil health by SSgH could lead to suppression of PPN infection.
Highlights
Energy sorghum ‘NX2’ (=‘NX-D-61’) and the hybrid ‘LA’ (=‘Latte’) were found to be highly suppressive to the development of root-knot nematodes into females even at 3 months old if the residues were soil-incorporated in the greenhouse trials
While terminating sorghum–sudangrass hybrids (SSgH) cover crops improved soil health parameters within one cropping cycle, it did not lead to suppression of root-knot and reniform nematode population densities in the soil nor lead to better eggplant yield
There is a clear trend that (1) an increase in abundance of omnivorous nematodes would lead to higher eggplant yield; (2) an improvement in soil health could lead to a reduction in root-gall formation in eggplant; and (3) an increase in Gram-positive bacteria (GP)/Gramnegative bacteria (GN) would result in a lower abundance of profile against plantparasitic nematode (PPNs) in the soil
Summary
Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are the most aggressive and damaging plantparasitic nematodes (PPNs) on many crops [1]. The nematode-infected plants exhibit root galls where different life stages can be feeding inside. These sedentary endoparasites establish specialized feeding cells [2] that withdraw nutrients from the plants leading to a reduction in crop yield and quality [3]. Soil fumigation with synthetic chemicals is a popular and effective method of managing PPNs. the ban of potent fumigants such as methyl bromide and increasing restrictions on the use of other effective fumigant and non-fumigant nematicides have led to the search for more environmentally friendly and economically viable alternatives in recent years [4,5]
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