ABSTRACT

A study was initiated at the LSU AgCenter Northeast Research Station, located at St. Joseph, LA, to develop potential applications for the site-specific management of plant parasitic nematodes. Analysis of soil samples obtained in 2001 and 2002 from a 78.7 acre production field with a known history of natural infestation of root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita) showed a strong negative relationship between nematode populations and soil clay content; as clay content increased, root knot nematode population of decreased. Bulk soil electrical conductivity (SEC), mapped with a Veris^® 3100 Soil EC Mapping System, was highly correlated (r = 0.94) with soil clay content. Using SEC as a surrogate for soil texture in developing site-specific prescriptions for the application of nematicides to only those areas of production fields with soil textures having the highest probability of supporting damaging levels of root knot nematodes may be feasible.