Nematodes

Nematodes

Prosper Nema Soil Improvement

Prosper Nema protects the roots against the harmful effects of nematodes, improves the development of the root system and enhances the absorption of nutrients.

Subjects:
Effect of the preparation
Application area
Testresults
Application technique and dosage

Effect of the preparation

Prosper Nema is a fungal preparation containing a mix of Mycorrhizae spores. In wildlife, these fungi can be found in virtually all types of soil, where they are partly responsible for the repression of the population build-up of nematodes. These soils display a natural balance in which the population build-up of nematodes, among other forms of life, is inhibited by natural enemies and antagonists. With the arrival of Agriculture in many types of soil, and the methods applied by farmers for fertilization, crop protection, fumigation et cetera, it is mainly the nematodes that benefit from the fact that the natural balance is lost. Prosper Nema should be seen as a tool to restore the balance in soils where the balance was lost, by means of the introduction of antagonists. Prosper Nema has no directly controlling effect, but it strongly inhibits the population build-up of nematodes, including the one of the harmful variety known as Meloidogyne (root knot nematode).

The fungi in Prosper Nema form an alliance with the plants by attaching to their root systems. The fungi attach to or settle in the roots, thus withdrawing nutrients from the plant, in exchange for passing on nutrient minerals to the plant which would otherwise be more difficult for the plant to absorb. The fungi will also form a natural barrier around the roots, making it much more difficult, if not impossible for (root knot) nematodes to penetrate them. One could describe this as the occupation by fungi of the places the nematodes would have liked to occupy. If the fungi occupy the biosphere around the root system, it becomes difficult, if not impossible for the nematodes to access the nutrients they need. Furthermore, tests involving the egg packages of root knot nematodes showed that the presence of Prosper Nema prevents the hatching of the eggs.

The application area of Prosper Nema Soil Improvement

Prosper Nema finds its application in virtually all soil cultivations in agriculture and horticulture where the presence of harmful nematodes is felt on the one hand, and on the other hand the biological balance is disrupted due to chemical agents, fumigation, et cetera. Achieving the desired level of balance may take a while, since the biological processes in the soil pass off relatively slowly. It will, therefore, take some time, up to a few months, before a nematode population in the soil is reduced to half its original size. For this reason it is recommended to have application in outdoors cultivations take place preferably in springtime, as soon as the sunlight has warmed up the soil to some extent.

Test results

The results of several tests have shown that the use of Mycorrhizae facilitates a decrease of the nematode population in the soil. Even in more serious nematode infestations prior to planting and the first Prosper Nema introduction, there was hardly any visible damage to the root system during the entire cultivation, while soil samples clearly demonstrated that the nematode population reduced to less than 50% every two months. As it appeared during the cultivation, the best results were realized when small doses of Prosper Nema were added to the soil from time to time, approximately once every month. The desired inhibiting effect on the nematodes decreased, however, the more superfluous doses of Prosper Nema were added!

A test was conducted in a soil cultivation of tomatoes (variety: Cheetah, 4,000 m²), in the period between

April 1, 1998 and September 14, 1999. This soil had been severely infested by Meloidogyne spp for quite some time, and by the end of the tomato cultivation, serious damage to the root systems was visible, in the form of a host of root knots. The tomato cultivation (approximately April-August) is always followed by endive cultivation (approximately September-March). Traditionally, the nematode population would increase during the tomato period, while it would slightly decrease in quantity during the endive cultivation. The decrease, however, was never substantial enough to dispose of the predicate of ‘severe infestation’ at the start of a new tomato cultivation.

Prior to setting the tomato plants on April 1, 1998, a soil sample was taken, and part of the glasshouse was irrigated once with Prosper Nema, using 10 grams/100m². Forty-five days after the introduction, the number of nematodes had dropped dramatically. Early in September, by the end of the cultivation, the nematodes had re-established their presence to a significant extent. The aboveground Eupareen and sulphur treatments, both used to control fungus, are thought to have had their repercussions on the valuable underground fungi. From mid-September 1998 to mid-March 1999, the same soil was the scene of an endive cultivation. Again, the nematode population decreased significantly. Prior to the next tomato cultivation, similar doses of Prosper Nema were introduced to the soil. After sixty days, the soil sample then taken showed a decrease in the number of nematodes. This year, however, Prosper Nema will be applied several times instead of once only. The first application took place in the middle of March, followed by another four applications, at one month’s intervals, each time applying a dose of 5 grams/100m². This method helped to keep the number of root knot nematodes below 500 per 100 mL of soil until the end of the cultivation, and the root system remained virtually free of root knots throughout the cultivation. The figure below represents the change in the nematode population during the test.

Application technique and dosage

The best time to introduce Prosper Nema Soil Improvement to the soil is one or two days prior to planting. Dissolve the preparation in water 5 to 6 hours before application, to allow the fungus spores to germinate. The preparation contains a water-soluble support medium. Use chlorine-free water for the solution and for introduction to the soil.

For 1-500 harmful nematodes / 100 mL of soil, between 5 and 10 grams PN/ 100m².

For 500-1000 harmful nematodes / 100 mL of soil, 10 grams PN/ 100m².

For more than 1000 harmful nematodes / 100 mL of soil 15 grams/100m² maximum.

During cultivation approximately once every month between 5 and 10 grams / 100m².

Within one week following chemical corrections (in individual spots), 5 grams per 100m² (in individual spots).

Two months after the first introduction, a new soil sample should be taken to assess the effect of Prosper Nema on the nematode population. Based on the results of the second sample, the remaining time of cultivation, the extent of the damage – if any – et cetera, one can decide on whether or not Prosper Nema should be applied once more, and if so, what the appropriate dosage would be. Nevertheless, it is recommended to apply regular quantities of Prosper Nema to the soil during the cultivation, as the effect on the nematodes would otherwise be likely to taper off gradually. Dosage during cultivation should best be between 5 and 10 grams per 100m².