Cover crops and nematicides: comprehensive nematode IPM across the grove landscape

Cover crops and nematicides: comprehensive nematode IPM across the grove landscape

Report Date: 09/18/2021
Project: 18-036C   Year: 2021
Category: Other
Author: Larry Duncan
Sponsor: Citrus Research and Development Foundation

Spring nematicide treatment effects on sting nematode and plant root mass in the nematicide comparison plots were evaluated from the 5th set of soil samples (June 2021) taken during the course of this trial.  Compared to control plots, the oxamyl treatment reduced sting nematode populations by 73% (P=0.004).  The Salibro, aldicarb, Velum Prime, Nimitz and Syngenta products had 61, 51, 44, 22, and 7 percent fewer nematodes, respectively, than in control plots. To date the overall percentage reduction in sting nematode population density by the products compared to untreated plots has been oxamyl (55%), Syngenta product (49%), Nimitz (42%), Salibro (41%), Velum (20%), and aldicarb (1%).  The root mass density from treated plots did not differ significantly from untreated plots.  Oxamyl had just 12% more roots than controls, which was the highest level for nematicide treatments, but well below its effect on roots the previous June and December when oxamyl increased root density (P=0.01) by as much as 47%. Tree heights in these plots were unaffected by any treatment, nor did they differ in a second trial measuring the effect of aldicarb on tree size.The perenial peanut plots performed during the monthly spring assessments as previously reported.  The reduction of sting nematodes in peanut compared to native vegetation continued to be highly significant.  Seasonality of sting nematode numbers was evident in these middles as well as in the tree rows of this trial and that of the nematicide comparisons – much higher population density in the winter samples both years compared to those taken in summer.  Neither the peanut treatment or oxmyl treatment had any measurable effect on the low numbers of sting nematodes or the roots mass density in the tree rows.Chemical treatments will be applied in late September or early October for the final time.  The trial will be completed when a third year of fruit on these young trees are harvested in Spring 2022 and an economic analysis of the profitability to date of the treatments is performed.     


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