Niche Distribution of Paratrichodorus minor and Belonolaimus longicaudatus Following Fumigation on Potato and Cabbage.

An experiment was conducted to determine population changes and niche variation in the soil at two depths (0 to 20 cm and 20 to 40 cm) of Paratrichodorus minor and Belonolaimus longicaudatus populations following fumigation. Eight plots each of potato (Solanum tuberosum) and cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata), fumigated with 1, 3-dichloropropene or nonfumigated, were established. Eight plots of sorghum-sudangrass hybrid (Sorghum bicolor x S. arundinaceum var. sudanense) were also used to monitor depth distribution (0 to 20 cm and 20 to 40 cm) of B. longicaudatus and P. minor following each cabbage/potato season. Soil samples were taken 0 to 20 cm and 20 to 40 cm deep during the potato/cabbage, and sorghum-sudangrass growing seasons. During the 1993-94 and 1994-95 potato/cabbage seasons, P. minor was found at highest numbers at 20 to 40 cm, whereas numbers of B. longicaudatus were highest at 0 to 20 cm. During the 1994 and 1995 sorghum-sudangrass growing seasons, B. longicaudatus numbers were highest at 0 to 20 cm. Paratrichodorus minor numbers were highest at 0 to 20 cm and at 20 to 40 cm deep in the 1994 and 1995 sorghum-sudangrass growing seasons, respectively. Reduction by soil fumigation of B. longicaudatus at 0 to 20 cm deep did not affect depth distribution or cause P. minor populations to increase in potato or cabbage plots. Paratrichodorus minor numbers increased at 20 to 40 cm deep in the 1994-95 cabbage season after soil fumigation.