
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Stirling, G. R. 
A1  - Kopittke, R. 
T1  - Sampling procedures and damage thresholds for root-knot nematode (<emph type="2">Meloidogyne javanica</emph>) on pineapple
JF  - Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture
JO  - Aust. J. Exp. Agric.
Y1  - 2000
VL  - 40
IS  - 7
SP  - 1003
EP  - 1010
KW  - 
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1071/EA00011 
N2  - The relationship between the population density of root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) and pineapple yield was studied by establishing different nematode densities in field plots at 3 sites. Differences in nematode populations between treatments were apparent 9&#8211;22 months after planting, but yields in the plant crop were similar, regardless of nematode density. In the ratoon crop, yields in treatments with less than 10 nematodes/200 mL soil at 9&#8211;22 months were reduced by about 10%. Yield reductions of more than 25% occurred when population densities were greater than 50 nematodes/200 mL soil. These results demonstrate that economically significant crop losses from root-knot nematodes can occur in pineapple when the population density at 12 months is greater than 1&#8211;5 nematodes/200 mL soil. The sampling procedures required to obtain reliable estimates of M. javanica in pineapple fields were determined by studying nematode distribution in 2 fields in south-east Queensland. Nematodes were extracted from more than 100 individual soil cores on a 5 by 5 m grid and populations were found to have a clumped rather than random distribution. A composite sample of 41 cores in 1 field and 72 cores in the other gave a relatively precise estimate of the population of root-knot nematodes (i.e. standard error : mean ratio of 0.3). These data suggest that a 50-core sampling unit is appropriate when nematode population density is being estimated for decision-making purposes. 
ER  -

