Abstract
Cover crops offer numerous benefits to the soil, including pest, pathogen suppression and enhanced fertility. Focussing on fields used for Narcissus production as a model, the potential of different cover crop treatments to suppress plant-parasitic nematodes while safeguarding beneficial nematode communities was evaluated. The root lesion nematode species, Pratylenchus penetrans , is known to significantly reduce Narcissus yields, a challenge further exacerbated by limited chemical control options and restricted land availability to deploy effective crop rotation. French marigold, oilseed radish, Phacelia , Japanese oats, alfalfa, and forage chicory were evaluated in two experiments under greenhouse conditions to assess their suitability as hosts for P. penetrans based on the nematode reproduction factor (Rf). Phacelia and Japanese oat were rated as maintenance hosts (1 < Rf < 2) while the remaining cover crops were identified as poor hosts (0.15 < Rf < 1). Thereafter, three field experiments assessed the effects of the same cover crop treatments, plus Indian mustard, on the abundance of Pratylenchus , Aphelenchus, Aphelenchoides spp., and bacterivore nematodes. Sampling occurred before sowing of the cover crop, three months after sowing and six weeks post-incorporation of the mature cover crop. Four of the tested cover crops (French marigold, oilseed radish, forage chicory and alfalfa) significantly reduced the abundance of Pratylenchus spp., by 53–75 % across all three experiments. Phacelia and Japanese oats had no effect, while Indian mustard increased the abundance of Pratylenchus spp., by 113–319 % across all experiments. Oilseed radish and Indian mustard increased the abundance of bacterivore nematodes, with oilseed radish showing the greatest increase of 335 %. Using 18S rRNA amplicon sequencing, cover crops showed no adverse effects on alpha and beta nematode diversity, while cover crop incorporation resulted in higher enrichment and lower structure indices. These findings strongly suggest that French marigold, oilseed radish, forage chicory, and alfalfa are potential options for managing Pratylenchus spp. without adverse effects on non-target beneficial soil nematode communities. Understanding cover crop–nematode interactions can expand their use beyond current production systems. This study offers a first step towards selecting cover crops that maintain/promote beneficial nematodes, support soil health restoration, and suppress Pratylenchus spp. in crops that form a typical UK arable rotation. • French marigold, forage chicory, oilseed radish and alfalfa limit P. penetrans multiplication through poor host suitability. • Cover crops suppressed Pratylenchus spp., while maintaining the integrity of beneficial nematodes, highlighting their ecological selectivity. • Nematode communities shifted more with cover crop incorporation than species; regenerative agricultural practices shape soil ecology.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
Phacelia and Japanese oat were maintenance hosts for Pratylenchus penetrans, with 1 < Rf < 2.
- Taxon
- Phacelia and Japanese oate2
- Interactor
- Pratylenchus penetrans
Pratylenchus penetranse1pest - Outcome
- maintenance hostse2
- Value
- 1 < Rf < 2e2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The root lesion nematode species, Pratylenchus penetrans , is known to significantly reduce Narcissus yields”
e2“Phacelia and Japanese oat were rated as maintenance hosts (1 < Rf < 2) while the remaining cover crops were identified as poor hosts (0.15 < Rf < 1)”
Claim · model-written summary
The remaining cover crops were poor hosts for Pratylenchus penetrans, with 0.15 < Rf < 1.
- Taxon
- cover cropse2
- Interactor
- Pratylenchus penetransPratylenchus penetranse1pest
- Outcome
- poor hostse2
- Value
- 0.15 < Rf < 1e2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e1“The root lesion nematode species, Pratylenchus penetrans , is known to significantly reduce Narcissus yields”
e2“Phacelia and Japanese oat were rated as maintenance hosts (1 < Rf < 2) while the remaining cover crops were identified as poor hosts (0.15 < Rf < 1)”
Claim · model-written summary
French marigold, oilseed radish, forage chicory and alfalfa significantly reduced Pratylenchus spp. abundance by 53–75% across three experiments.
- Treatment
- French marigold, oilseed radish, forage chicory and alfalfae3
- Interactor
- Pratylenchus spp.
Pratylenchuse3pest - Outcome
- abundance of Pratylenchus spp.e3
- Direction
- significantly reducede3
- Value
- 53–75 %e3
NarcissusNot reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Impact of cover cropping on root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) and nematode communities in Narcissus fields”
e3“Four of the tested cover crops (French marigold, oilseed radish, forage chicory and alfalfa) significantly reduced the abundance of Pratylenchus spp., by 53–75 % across all three experiments”
Claim · model-written summary
Phacelia and Japanese oats had no effect on Pratylenchus spp. abundance.
- Treatment
- Phacelia and Japanese oatse4
- Interactor
- Pratylenchus spp.Pratylenchuse4pest
- Outcome
- abundance of Pratylenchus spp.e4
- Direction
- no effecte4
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Impact of cover cropping on root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) and nematode communities in Narcissus fields”
e4“Phacelia and Japanese oats had no effect, while Indian mustard increased the abundance of Pratylenchus spp., by 113–319 % across all experiments”
Claim · model-written summary
Indian mustard increased Pratylenchus spp. abundance by 113–319% across experiments.
- Treatment
- Indian mustarde4
- Interactor
- Pratylenchus spp.Pratylenchuse4pest
- Outcome
- abundance of Pratylenchus spp.e4
- Direction
- increasede4
- Value
- 113–319 %e4
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Impact of cover cropping on root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) and nematode communities in Narcissus fields”
e4“Phacelia and Japanese oats had no effect, while Indian mustard increased the abundance of Pratylenchus spp., by 113–319 % across all experiments”
Claim · model-written summary
Oilseed radish increased bacterivore nematode abundance by 335%, the greatest increase among the cover crops.
- Treatment
- Oilseed radishe5
- Outcome
- abundance of bacterivore nematodese5
- Direction
- increasede5
- Value
- 335 %e5
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Impact of cover cropping on root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) and nematode communities in Narcissus fields”
e5“Oilseed radish and Indian mustard increased the abundance of bacterivore nematodes, with oilseed radish showing the greatest increase of 335 %”
Claim · model-written summary
Indian mustard increased bacterivore nematode abundance.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Impact of cover cropping on root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) and nematode communities in Narcissus fields”
e5“Oilseed radish and Indian mustard increased the abundance of bacterivore nematodes, with oilseed radish showing the greatest increase of 335 %”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover crops had no adverse effect on alpha and beta nematode diversity.
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Impact of cover cropping on root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) and nematode communities in Narcissus fields”
e6“Using 18S rRNA amplicon sequencing, cover crops showed no adverse effects on alpha and beta nematode diversity, while cover crop incorporation resulted in higher enrichment and lower structure indices”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover crop incorporation increased nematode enrichment indices.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Impact of cover cropping on root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) and nematode communities in Narcissus fields”
e6“Using 18S rRNA amplicon sequencing, cover crops showed no adverse effects on alpha and beta nematode diversity, while cover crop incorporation resulted in higher enrichment and lower structure indices”
Claim · model-written summary
Cover crop incorporation lowered nematode structure indices.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Impact of cover cropping on root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) and nematode communities in Narcissus fields”
e6“Using 18S rRNA amplicon sequencing, cover crops showed no adverse effects on alpha and beta nematode diversity, while cover crop incorporation resulted in higher enrichment and lower structure indices”
Claim · model-written summary
Nematode communities shifted more with cover crop incorporation than with species.
- Treatment
- cover crop incorporatione3
- Outcome
- Nematode communitiese3
- Direction
- shifted moree3
- Comparator
- speciese3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Impact of cover cropping on root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) and nematode communities in Narcissus fields”
e3“Nematode communities shifted more with cover crop incorporation than species”
Claim · model-written summary
French marigold, oilseed radish, forage chicory and alfalfa are potential options for managing Pratylenchus spp. without adverse effects on beneficial nematodes.
- Treatment
- French marigold, oilseed radish, forage chicory, and alfalfae7
- Outcome
- potential options for managing Pratylenchus spp.e7
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
t0“Impact of cover cropping on root lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.) and nematode communities in Narcissus fields”
e7“These findings strongly suggest that French marigold, oilseed radish, forage chicory, and alfalfa are potential options for managing Pratylenchus spp.”