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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Byron, Georgia » Fruit and Tree Nut Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #422117
Research Project: Novel Approaches for Managing Key Pests of Peach and Pecan

Location: Fruit and Tree Nut Research

Title: Effect of Integrating Cover Crops and Bionematicides on Nematode Management in Organic Zucchini

Author
item GITONGA, DENIS - University Of Florida
item DESAEGER, JOHAN - University Of Florida
item Shapiro Ilan, David
item HAJIHASSANI, ABOLFAZL - University Of Florida

Submitted to: Journal of Nematology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/28/2025
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Nematodes are round worms. Most of them cannot be seen by the naked eye. Some nematodes(plant parasitic) attack plants and cause severe crop losses. Chemical pesticides are used to control plant parasitic nematodes. However, due to environmental and regulatory concerns, alternatives are needed. Bionematicides are alternatives to chemical pesticides for controlling plant parasitic nematodes. Bionematicides may be derived naturally from plants, fungi or bacteria. Cover crops (crops that are planted to prevent erosion and enhance soil health. Some cover crops can also suppress plant parasitic nematodes. However, the efficacy of cover crops or bionematicides are often not sufficient for viable nematode suppression. We studied combinations of cover crops and bionematicides to determine if we could improve efficacy though dual use. A variety of cover crops and several bionematicides were tested against different plant parasitic nematodes (ring nemaodes, lance nematodes, root knot nematodes). The combination treatments were able to control the nematode pests but the results varied depending on which plant parasitic nematode was targeted. Our results provide valuable information on new, environmentally friendly methods for controlling plant parasitic nematodes

Technical Abstract: The integration of cover crops and bionematicides presents a sustainable approach to managing plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) in organic vegetable production systems. The integration of sunn hemp (cv. Crescent sun) and sorghum-sudangrass (Sweet Six BMR) with bionematicides was evaluated in two locations in central and south Florida for the effectiveness of PPN suppression. Field experiments were conducted with establishing cover crops in each location three months before planting of organic zucchini on plastic beds equipped with a drip application system used to inject three commercial bionematicides (Promax, EcoWorks, AzaGuard) and the culture filtrate of Xenorhabdus bovienii bacteria associated with Steinernema feltiae. Cover cropping with sunn hemp and sorghum-sudangrass significantly reduced Meloidogyne spp. population densities. AzaGuard and Promax reduced Meloidogyne spp. densities by the end of the zucchini season when integrated with sunn hemp. Galling severity on zucchini roots caused by Meloidogyne spp. was significantly lower in AzaGuard and EcoWorks integrated with sunn hemp. The impact of the integration of cover crops with bionematicides on other PPNs such as Mesocriconema spp., Paratrichodorus spp., and Hoplolaimus spp. varied among the treatments at both locations. These findings indicate that combining nematode-suppressive cover crops and bionematicides effectively controls root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.), but their performance against other PPNs is inconsistent.