Nematodes cause productivity loss on cotton in Brazil‏
Date:03-30-2015
An infestation of
Meloidogyne incognita nematode has became one of the main factors reducing cotton yields in Brazil state Mato Grosso. Besides, the crop yet suffers with soil compression with a penetration resistance from 10 to 20 centimeters over the soil.
The data came from a research developed by Embrapa and the Mato Grosso Institute of Cotton. According to the new studies, there is an increase on the incidence of nematodes on crops compared to number collected ten years ago.
The two species with more distribution are the Pratylenchus brachyurus, present in 96% of the samples, and the Meloidogyne incognita, which is found in 23% of the areas analyzed. Rotylenchulus reniformis and Heterodera glycines were also found in a smaller proportion.
The studies say that even though the Pratylenchus is present on most crops, it is not related with a productivity fall on cotton. On the other hand, the Meloidogyne incognita, a cause of galls on the roots, is strongly related to lower yields, especially if the incidence occurs on a compacted soil.
"The causes are independent. It is not always that you have compression and nematodes. But always that there is soil compression and Meloidogyne, the damages are bigger. Those are additive factors. The plant has little volume to be exploited over the soil and the nematode attacks the roots in that area," explains Embrapa researcher, João Flavio Silva.
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