[compost_tea] Root Knot Nematodes

From: Shane Gishford <iccs10_at_yahoo.com.au>
Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2003 10:37:24 +1000 (EST)

If you don't have predatory nematodes or fungi to innoculate into the soil where out worst problem are (mainly in very light sandy soils) we have found large amounts of molasses up to 40 L/Ha per crop has stopped the problem. There was a large problem in the Water and Rock Melon area I now work in just before I stared there 4 years ago. They found this level of molasses has controlled the root knot nematodes and I have not seen a problem since I have started and they not had to use a nasty chemical for this problem in the last 4 years that I know of. The whole area has sung over to use this in every crop they plant and this is on of the recognisted areas for melon growing in Australia.
 
I have seen this also work in tomatoes. I know they live in other soil but it is the very light sandy soils that we see the most plant damage to the point of nearly totally destroying the crop ie no yield at all.
 
I'm not sure of the mechanism of how it works but we believe that the bacterial bloom we get from the molasses allows the bacterial to coat the roots and so leave no room for the nematodes to be able to infest the root. Maybe Doc E. would like to comment on this.
 
Shane Gishford



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Received on Sun Aug 03 2003 - 00:57:16 EDT

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