The Effects of Soil Type, Particle Size, Temperature, and Moisture on Reproduction of Belonolaimus longicaudatus
Robbins, R.T.; Barker, K.R.
Journal of Nematology 6(1): 1-6
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0022-300X PMID: 19319355 Document Number: 74102
Effects of soil type, particle size, temperature and moisture on the reproduction of Belonolaimus longicaudatus were investigated under glasshouse conditions using soybean or strawberry as host plants. Reproduction occurred only in soils with a minimum sand content of 80% and a maximum clay content of 10%. Optimum soil particle size for reproduction of 2 populations of the nematode, one from Tarboro, North Carolina the other from Tifton, Georgia was about that of 120 to 370 mu silica sand. Reproduction of both populations on maize was greatest at 25 to 30 deg C, but the Tifton population showed a much greater increase in numbers than the Tarboro at 25, 30 and 35 deg C, and was still capable of some reproduction at the highest temperature, whereas the Tarboro population declined. Reproduction of the nematode was greater at a soil moisture level of 7% than at the highest test level of 30% or the lowest one of 2%.