Alternative nematode management strategies

Abstract

In South Africa, about 48 % of the people live in rural areas. A large portion (35 %) of this rural population lives below the poverty line. Most of these communities depend on the production of grain, leguminous and vegetable crops, mainly in household or communal gardens, as their main food source. Available land is often limited and, therefore, frequently reused, which aggravates soil disease and pest problems and soil degradation. In agricultural production more than 10 % of the crop yields can be lost due to diseases and pests. However, in rural areas this percentage is much higher. Diseases and pests, including plant-parasitic nematodes, can even cause crop failures. In general, root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are the most abundant and damaging nematode pests in local smallholding farming. To alleviate the nematode problem and secure food production in such a way that it is affordable for smallholding farmers, alternative low-input, cost-effective and environmentally friendly nematode management strategies need to be developed. In South Africa, research related to such strategies for smallholding farming is mainly focused on the discovery of local botanical nematicides (phytonematicides) and their use as soil amendments to manage root-knot nematodes. Also the use of natural sources of resistance or tolerance, the application of crop rotation and intercropping, the use of organic amendments and the use of cover crops as biofumigants are being investigated