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TILLAGE & SUMMER FALLOW |
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CONTENTS |
Evidence from soil fumigation studies suggest that the physical disturbance of soil to prepare the field for fumigation may greatly suppress populations of root-lesion nematodes. This may be particularly effective if the field is tilled in late summer when soil reaches high temperatures and dries out quickly. Even three years after fumigation, these nematodes remained at relatively low levels in many nonfumigated plots. One notable exception was in a field known to be replanted with infested rootstock. Mint nematodes are also likely to be susceptible to these physical disturbances. Soil moistures down to 6% have little effect on survival but mortality increases as soil moisture approaches 2% and moistures less than 1% are lethal (Konicek, 1961). |
