Scenarios for sustainable management of plant parasitic nematodes

Abstract

AbstractPlant parasitic nematodes cause significant yield reductions worldwide. Before development of soil fumigation, sustainable practices were developed for nematode management; but were utilized with limited success. The restricted availability of fumigants and other nematicides, has stimulated a return to research into more sustainable management scenarios. In recent years, new tools have been developed that improve the successful utilization of sustainable methods including: nematode resistant crop varieties, trap cropping, biofumigation, molecular identification techniques, databases that can be accessed online to search for crops resistant to nematodes, relatively inexpensive soil temperature dataloggers, nematode degree-day models, research on nematode biology and population cycling, development of less toxic chemicals, and development of new soil amendments and natural products. Combining these with a strong nematode control and certification program for nursery crops, have made it possible to develop promising scenarios to reduce damaging nematode populations and increase yields.