Mulching with Leaf Litter from Municipal Green Waste Favours Predatory Mononchid Nematodes

Abstract

Although the incorporation of organic amendments into the soil is widely researched, less attention has been given to the impact of in-situ composting of municipal green wastes (MGW), especially leaf litter, on free-living nematodes. In a four year experiment (2016–2019) of tomato cropping cycles, we tested the hypothesis that leaf litter mulch has a positive effect on mononchid predatory nematodes and influences their species composition. Two treatments were applied every year: plots were either mulched with leaf litter or left unmulched. Soil samples were collected every autumn at the end of the growing season. Active, free-living nematodes were extracted by Baermann funnel from soil samples, the density of mononchid predatory nematodes was determined, and the individuals were identified to genus or species. In the first year (2016), mulching did not affect the density of mononchids. From the second year (2017) on, their number significantly increased in mulched plots, compared to in unmulched ones. During the study period the presence of four mononchid genera: Clarkus, Mylonchulus, Prionchulus, and Iotonchus, were detected. Our hypothesis was confirmed, as the number of mononchids increased in the presence of MGW leaf litter mulch layer.

Management of soil cover and tillage regimes in upland rice-sweet corn systems for better system performance, energy use and carbon footprints

“…Particularly, live and leaf litter mulching outpaces paddy straw mulching in enhancing crop yields, largely attributable to their superior nutrient recycling capabilities. This enhanced nutrient cycling bolsters soil fertility, securing an uninterrupted nutrient flow to plants [ 90 ]. Furthermore, live mulching, especially when done using legumes, introduces additional nitrogen to the soil and fosters a thriving rhizospheric microbial community, adding another layer of benefit for crops.…”

Mecanismos de captura, colonización y alimentación empleados por parásitos y predadores de nematodos

“…Orden Mononchida. Los nematodos del Orden Mononchida son potenciales predadores de diferentes grupos de nematodos (Petrikovszki et al 2021) que se caracterizan por poseer una cavidad bucal bien desarrollada y adaptada para capturar, enrollar y tragar a su presa entera, aunque también se han reportado casos donde cortan a sus presas en pedazos . En condiciones naturales, los monónquidos se alimentan de diferentes especies de nematodos pertenecientes a los grupos Tylenchus, Dorylaimida, Mononchida y nematodos de vida libre (Bilgrami et al 1986).…”