Field Validation of the Effect of Soil Fumigation of Ethanedinitrile (EDN) on the Mortality of Meloidogyne hapla and Carrot Yield Parameters

Vaclav Stejskal,Miloslav Zouhar,Ondřej Douda,Jonas Hnatek,Marie Manasova

doi:10.3390/agronomy11020208

Abstract

With the increasing importance of soilborne plant pest nematodes and the relatively recent phase-out of methyl bromide as a key soil fumigant, there is an urgent need for new fumigants with good nematicidal properties. Ethanedinitrile (EDN) is a promising fumigant and preparation because of its physical, agrochemical, and nematicidal properties. However, its efficacy against nematode pests of different crops under field conditions has not been fully validated and understood. Therefore, the aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of two concentrations of EDN on the survival of northern root-knot nematodes (Meloidogynehapla) and on carrot yield and quality under field conditions. The evaluation was performed using naturally infested carrot plots, and EDN application to the soil was followed by covering the treated area with film. A high biological effect was observed for both EDN concentrations tested, with even the lower dose (30 g·m−2) being sufficient for M. hapla suppression. Positive effects of EDN application—likely due to EDN partial conversion into biologically available nitrogen in soil—on carrot root weight, in comparison with the untreated control, were also observed.

Highlights

The occurrence of nematodes in lower levels of the soil profile forces growers to apply conventional nematicides at the highest recommended concentrations and doses. Another problem is the general decrease in the number of traditional nematicides available and the lack of development of new and effective substances for crop protection against plant parasitic nematodes
The main aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of EDN soil application on the viability of Meloidogyne hapla nematodes
One year before the initiation of the experiments, carrot samples were collected in zigzag patterns from the experimental plot, and the presence of M. hapla nematodes was evaluated by estimation of root galling

Summary

Introduction

Twelve percent of all crop losses caused by pests can be attributed to nematodes, accounting for annual monetary losses equal to 157 billion USD (United States dollar) [1] This is especially true for root-knot nematodes belonging to the genus Meloidogyne, which has been reported as the most important genus of plant-parasitic nematodes worldwide [2,3]. The occurrence of nematodes in lower levels of the soil profile forces growers to apply conventional nematicides at the highest recommended concentrations and doses Another problem is the general decrease in the number of traditional nematicides available and the lack of development of new and effective substances for crop protection against plant parasitic nematodes. As of 2020, only two conventional nematicides (dazomet and oxamyl) were available for open field application in the Czech

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