Pratylenchus brachyurus Suppression by Organic Fertilizers and the Development of Soybean Plants

Abstract

The root lesion nematode, Pratylenchus brachyurus (Godfrey) Filipjev & Schuurmans Stekhoven, has been caused significant losses in soybean crops in Brazil. The addition of organic fertilizers may suppress the population of these plant-parasitic nematodes. The aim of this work was to evaluate the action of cattle manure, cattle vermicompost, cattle compost, and slaughterhouse swine compost on the reduction of P. brachyurus population and the development in soybean plants (cv. NR 5909). The experiment was conducted for 90 days after P. brachyurus inoculation (DAI) in the pots, in greenhouse. At 90 DAI, shoots, roots and soil were collected from all experimental units to determine shoot dry matter, root fresh mass and nematodes quantification present in roots and soil. All the organic fertilizers promoted the increase of shoot dry matter and root fresh mass in relation to control, even under nematode infestation in soybean plants (cv. NR 5909). However, organic fertilizers did not promote a suppressive effect on P. brachyurus population in soybean plants.