Evaluation of cover crops for reducing Heterodera glycines populations in microplot experiments

What is it about?

Soybean cyst nematode is a major yield-reducing pathogen of soybean worldwide. Microplot experiments were conducted to evaluate ten cover crops for their effects on two SCN populations from North Dakota in 2019 and 2020. Plants were grown in outdoor conditions with naturally infested field soil for 75 days before soil samples were collected. SCN eggs and juveniles were extracted from the soil samples to determine SCN population density, population reduction and suppression. Soybean significantly increased final SCN populations than all cover crops and fallow tested. All cover crops and fallow reduced the densities of both SCN populations. All the cover crops, except chickling vetch cv. Pulse, had lower population densities than fallow and suppressed SCN throughout the experiments. Sunnhemp, oilseed radish cv. Concorde and Control, and daikon radish cv. Eco-Till significantly reduced the SCN103 population compared to fallow. Sunnhemp, alfalfa cv. Bullseye, and daikon radish had significant population reductions of SCN2W than fallow. Sunnhemp was found to have the greatest SCN reductions ranging from 55% to 86% compared to the initial densities. This study demonstrated cover crops species/cultivars are capable to reduce SCN populations in outdoor conditions, and suggest they can be utilized in infested fields to manage SCN.

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