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Fighting Nematodes with Grass, Livestock, and Herbs
AUBURN, Ala. - Field crop growers know there's just no getting around the nematode problem. In Alabama, as well as in other sandy soils of the southeast, nematodes are a problem in virtually all major field crops. Fortunately for Alabama growers, Auburn University Plant Pathologist Rodrigo Rodriguez-Kabana is on their side.
The Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station researcher fights the nematodes by breaking their lifecycles. His choices are unusual--pasturegrass, livestock and herbs are among them.
Typically, managing for nematodes consists of developing resistant varieties, using nematicides (chemicals) or using selected cultural practices. Nematicides are declining in favor, with both the public and private sectors. Resistant varieties are limited. Cultural practices have drawn the most attention in recent years.
Rodriguez-Kabana's studies have already led to successful rotational and cropping sequences that keep damage low.
"There are dozens of systems we can use in soybeans, peanuts and cotton," he says. "These systems suppress the nematode population, increase yield and give responses beyond what we expected. This also tells us we are solving other problems through the use of rotations."
The best rotations are those that include livestock. While not an option for every producer, many common pasture grasses when using in rotational systems give excellent nematode control.
"It's rare when we don't at least double the yields of soybeans, peanuts or cotton with this rotation. All the crops we've tried respond this way," he says.
Velvetbean is another one of Rodriguez-Kabana's unusual choices for nematode control. The use of velvetbean in rotation sequences not only doubled the yield of most of the crops, but it fixed nitrogen in the soil, aided in soil improvement and helped prevent erosion. It also serves as a nutritious, quality livestock feed.
But the plant pathologist also noticed something else unique in the nematode population--some plants never seemed to have problems with them. He began to try growing many strange plants, not because of their potential future, but to learn how they avoided nematode damage.
He quickly discovered that many herbs and scented geraniums produce turpene-like compounds, which drive off any lurking nematodes. And many of the plants simply made their roots so unattractive that the nematodes looked elsewhere for dinner.
While much of the work is feasible at the nursery horticultural level, much of it is not yet ready to be incorporated into row crops. Cropping systems, however, can be developed for almost any farmer interested in breaking the nematode cycle in their fields.
The scientist has obviously stumbled onto more than nematode control. "It all argues for profitable cropping systems, combined with resistant varieties, as a way to control soil-borne diseases and nematodes," he says. "If people would just come out an look at one of the study plots, I wouldn't have to explain anything. The differences are that obvious."
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News from:
Office of Ag Communications & Marketing
Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)
Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
Contact Katie Jackson, 334-844-5886 or smithcl@auburn.edu
