ISHS Acta Horticulturae 698: VI International Symposium on Chemical and non-Chemical Soil and Substrate Disinfestation - SD2004
IMPROVEMENT AND MONITORING SOIL HEALTH |
| Authors: | G.W. Korthals, J.H.M. Visser, L.P.G. Molendijk |
| Keywords: | Pratylenchus penetrans, nematodes, compost, chitin, biological control, biomonitoring |
| Abstract:
Since the introduction of pesticides and artificial fertilisers, the appreciation for the soil as the foundation for agricultural production diminished. Recently, attention is paid to the possible negative influences of these aspects on the microbial population in the soil. The withdrawal of most soil fumigants enhances the focus on soil aspects like root disease incidence, soil resistance, and soil and plant health. Scientific research has started to develop strategies to increase soil health. Methods applied are crop frequency, crop rotation, use of resistant varieties of economic and green manure crops, biological soil disinfestation, the application of compost or chitin. Additionally chemical pesticides may be applied. The effect of these measurements will be established in monitoring the development of crops for yield and disease incidence and assessment of the microbial population in the soil. Preliminary results from the first year indicate that biological soil disinfestation is effective in decreasing the nematode populations of free-living Trichodorid nematodes and root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus penetrans). The green manure crop Tagetes patula decreased the Pratylenchus penetrans, but increased the Trichodorid population. Chitin application diminished the Trichodorids. The development of the sugar beet crop after the different treatments was inversely related to the nematode counts. This project delivers new techniques to improve soil health, and insight in the specific changes within the soil. | |
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