Evaluation of host resistance and intercropping for management of the northern root-knot nematode in sainfoin, Onobrychis viciifolia

Published source details Shigaki T., Gray F.A., Delaney R.H. & Koch D.W. (1998) Evaluation of host resistance and intercropping for management of the northern root-knot nematode in sainfoin, Onobrychis viciifolia. Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 12, 23-39.
Share Tweet Email

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Use mixed pasture Action Link

Use mixed pasture

A series of two laboratory experiments and one randomised, replicated field trial from 1990-1992 in Wyoming, USA (Shigaki et al. 1998) found no difference in mortality caused by the northern root knot nematode Meloidogyne hapla for plants in mixed pasture (sainfoin Onobrychis viciifolia and meadow brome Bromus riparius) compared to monoculture pasture. Sainfoin had 26.6-90.0% nematode-caused mortality in monoculture and 26.7-98.3% when intercropped. Meadow brome (the species used as intercrop) had 0-16.7% mortality in monoculture and 0% mortality in intercropping. Total sainfoin mortality was 70.8-98.3% in monoculture and 91.7-100% in intercropping. Sainfoin shoot and root biomass were consistently higher in monoculture (shoot: 0.04-0.51 g dry weight/plant; root: 0.02-1.8) than intercropping (shoot: 0.00-0.01; root: 0.00-0.01). Meadow brome had higher shoot and root biomass in intercropping (shoot: 1.0-2.97 g dry weight/plant; root: 1.6-5.83) than monoculture (shoot: 3.5-36.2; root: 5.9-76.6). In the field experiment, forage yields were higher in intercropping (34.27 and 37.01 t dry matter/ha) than monocropped sainfoin (13.08-15.39) but lower than monocropped meadow brome (44.28). Plants in the laboratory experiments were grown in pots of pasteurized soil inoculated with 5,000 nematode eggs/l soil in a glasshouse or growth chamber.