Influence of cereal cyst nematode (Heterodera avenae) on wheat yields in South Australia

Abstract

Significant yield responses of up to 0.9 t/ha were obtained with the nematicides aldicarb and dibromochloropropane in seven of eleven field trials with the wheat variety, Condor. Both nematicides reduced the numbers of white cysts of Heterodera avenae on the roots of wheat. With aldicarb the increase in wheat yields varied directly as the decrease in white cysts: dibromochloropropane gave similar increases in yield as aldicarb with a greater reduction in cyst numbers. There was no yield increase with either nematicide when cereal cyst nematode was not present. An analysis of covariance indicated that over all the sites 64% of the increase in yield due to aldicarb could be explained in terms of cysts of cereal cyst nematode.