Field assessment of biologically-based control products against nematodes on sugarcane in South Africa

• Published in: African plant protection Vol. 15; no. 1; pp. 1 - 12
• Main Authors: Berry, S.D., Cadet, P., Spaull, V.W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: ARC Plant Protection Research Institute 01.01.2009
• Subjects: Aldicarb; Biostart; CropGuard; Eco-T; Nematodes; Pl-Plus; Sugarcane
• ISSN: 1023-3121; 2309-3811

Plant-parasitic nematodes are a constraint to sugarcane production on sandy soils in South Africa. Nematode management has, for many years, relied on the use of chemical nematicides. However, with the demise of many commercially available chemical nematicides and the increasing demand for more environmentally-friendly biological control products, research is needed to evaluate some of these formulations for nematode management in sugarcane under field conditions. Two field trials (a plant crop and a ratoon) were conducted to assess four biological control products (Biostart, Eco-T, EMand Pl-Plus) and a more recent, environmentally-friendly, chemical nematicide (CropGuard), at single (recommended) and double rates. These were compared with a chemical nematicide (aldicarb) at the recommended rate and an untreated control. The biological control products had a negligible and inconsistent effect on the levels of soil and leaf chemical elements (i.e. soil and plant health) and on the population densities of plant-parasitic nematode genera and nematode feeding groups. They also failed to improve growth and yield of the sugarcane plants. CropGuard at double the recommended rate (i.e. 100 l ha-1) and aldicarb, however, significantly increased sugarcane and sucrose yield in both trials.