Effect of Growing Crops and Crop Residues in Arable Fields on Nematode Production

Abstract

The effect of growing wheat and of various crop residues on the production of the major non—herbivorous soil nematode taxa was studied in pots and microcosms with arable soil and in undisturbed soil cores taken from an arable field. Production of bacterivorous Rhabditidae was in particular stimulated by easily decomposable organic matter such as fresh crop residues and dissolved glucose and proteose—peptone. Production of bacterivorous Cephalobidae was stimulated by growing wheat and by fresh and resistent crop residues. Production of bacterivorous Monhysteridae and Dorylaimidae was only stimulated by fresh crop residues deposited on the soil surface. Production of fungivorous Aphelenchidae and Aphelenchoididae was stimulated by growing wheat and by resistent crop residues, respectively. Substrates with high nitrogen contents gave the strongest stimulation of nematode production. Dry soil conditions reduced the production of bacterivorous taxa, the Cephalobidae excepted.