Effect of 3-year rotation sequences and pearl millet on population densities of Pratylenchus penetrans and subsequent potato yield

Published source details Belair G., Dauphinais N., Fournier Y., Dangi O.P. & Ciotola M. (2006) Effect of 3-year rotation sequences and pearl millet on population densities of Pratylenchus penetrans and subsequent potato yield. Canadian Journal of Plant Pathology, 28, 230-235.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

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	Use crop rotation in potato farming systems Action Link

Use crop rotation in potato farming systems

A randomised, replicated, controlled study in 1998-2003 in arable land in Quebec, Canada (Belair et al. 2006) found that population density of root lesion nematodes Pratylenchus penetrans (pest) was consistently low in autumn following forage pearl millet Pennisetum glaucum cultivar CFPM 101 (11-430 nematodes/kg soil) and generally low following grain pearl millet Pennisetum glaucum cultivar CGPM H-1 (94-2,297 nematodes/kg soil) compared with other crops. Nematode population densities tended to be high in autumn after brown mustard Brassica juncea (1,800-5,735 nematodes/kg soil), maize Zea mays (2,043-2,467), oats Avena sativa (3,997-6,353), potato Solanum tuberosum (3,257-6,365), rye Secale cereale (3,753-9,728) and soybean Glycine max (1,398-4,768). After soybean nematode population densities were low the following spring (73-300/kg soil), whereas for after other crops they remained high. Marketable potato yield in the fourth year of the experiment was highest after three year rotations ending in forage or grain pearl millet (38.4-55.9 t/ha) and lower with other final rotation crops (23.5-43.0 t/ha). The study had 14 different three year rotation treatments, each of which was applied at random to eight replicate 1 x 2 m plots. In the fourth year, potatoes were grown in all plots. Fertilizers, pesticides and irrigation followed local standard practice and weeds were removed by hand.