Robert McSorley

Marigolds (Tagetes spp.) for Nematode Management

R. Krueger, K. E. Dover, R. McSorley, K. -H. Wang

Introduction to Soil Solarization

Robert McSorley and Harsimran K. Gill

ENY062 describes this practice of covering soil surface with plastic to harness the sun’s heat to manage soil weeds, nematodes, diseases, and insects in soil. The authors answer frequently asked questions and outline steps for conducting soil solarization. Includes references.

Lesser Cornstalk Borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus (Zeller) (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)

Harsimran K. Gill, John L. Capinera, and Robert McSorley

The Featured Creatures collection provides in-depth profiles of insects, nematodes, arachnids and other organisms relevant to Florida. These profiles are intended for the use of interested laypersons with some knowledge of biology as well as academic audiences.

Cover Crops for Managing Root-Knot Nematodes

Harsimran K. Gill, Zane J. Grabau, and Robert McSorley

Cover crops are grown between cash crop cycles or incorporated with cash crops to improve soil fertility and struc­ture, decrease soil erosion, and suppress weeds, insects, nematodes, and other plant pathogens. Cover crop residues can be incorporated as “green manure” to increase soil fertility for the next crop. Cover crops also help to enhance many beneficial organisms and may contribute to carbon sequestration. They help curtail the spread of nematodes because nematodes cannot migrate to another field if a cover crop is not a host to them. Instead, some of them may starve, which helps to manage their population. Fallow soil also helps keep nematode populations lower, but it may lead to erosion and other problems. Many different types of cover crops are adapted for cultivation in the southern United States, including cowpea, sorghum-sudangrass, sunn hemp, marigolds, jointvetch, sesame, grasses, rye, wheat, oats, crimson clover, vetch, lupine, and, of late, legumes.

Nematode Management in Organic Agriculture

Romy Krueger, Robert McSorley, and Zane J. Grabau

The objectives of this publication are to provide information on plant-parasitic nematodes causing damage in organic agriculture and to introduce methods for their management. The intended audience is agricultural professionals and anyone producing agricultural products organically.

Management of Nematodes and Soil Fertility with Sunn Hemp Cover Crop

K. -H. Wang, R. McSorley, and Z.J. Grabau

Sunn hemp, Crotalaria juncea L. is a rapidly growing crop used for fiber production in India and Pakistan. It is popular as a green manure in many tropical and subtropical areas in the world, and is also valued because it suppresses weeds, slows soil erosion, and reduces root-knot nematode populations. Recently, as cultivars adapted for seed production in the southeastern United States have been introduced, there is a growing interest in rotating sunn hemp with agronomic crops in the southern United States and in using sunn hemp as a summer cover crop in Florida and other southeastern states. This publication informs agricultural professionals about the impacts of sunn hemp cover cropping on soil fertility and plant-parasitic nematodes.

Management of Nematodes with Cowpea Cover Crops

K. -H. Wang, R. McSorley, Z.J. Grabau, and E. Rios

Cover crops are grown between cash crop cycles, or intercropped with cash crops to cover the ground, such as in vegetable fields, orchards, groves, and agricultural sites. If used appropriately, cover crops can improve soil structure and fertility, decrease soil erosion, provide foliage and animal feed, and suppress crop pests such as weeds, insects, nematodes, and other plant pathogens. Residues from cover crops can be incorporated as green manure to supply nutrients and improve fertility for the next crop. Using cover crops can increase on-farm crop diversity, may enhance many beneficial organisms, and possibly even contribute to carbon sequestration. One good example of a summer cover crop is cowpea, Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp, due to its fast establishment, abiotic and biotic stress tolerance, and biomass production. This publication is intended to guide agricultural professionals in the use of cowpea cover crops for managing plant-parasitic nematodes.

Solarization for Pest Management in Florida

Romy Krueger, Robert McSorley, and Johan Desaeger

ENY-902, a 9-page illustrated fact sheet by Romy Krueger and Robert McSorley, describes this soil management practice that is typically carried out during the warm summer months to benefit crops grown in the following fall — how it works, technical advice, affected organisms, integrating soil fertility, and considerations/drawbacks. Includes references.

Soil-Inhabiting Nematodes, Phylum Nematoda

R. McSorley

This document provides an overview of soil-inhabiting nematodes, highlighting their diverse habitats, classification, and feeding habits. Nematodes are microscopic roundworms found in various environments, including soil, where they play crucial roles in decomposition and nutrient cycling. The article discusses different types of nematodes, such as herbivores, bacterivores, fungivores, predators, and omnivores, and their ecological significance. It also emphasizes the importance of nematodes as bioindicators of soil health and their potential impact on agriculture. The document is part of the Entomology and Nematology Department series.

Nematode Management Using Sorghum and Its Relatives

K. Dover, K. -H. Wang, Z. J. Grabau, and R. McSorley

Sorghum and sorghum-sudangrass are often used in crop rotation systems in Florida. They produce a source of forage or silage for animal feed, and many cultivars are effective in reducing population levels of root-knot nematodes, which are key nematode pests in Florida as well as many other parts of the world. This article is intended to guide agricultural professionals in making decisions about producing sorghum and its relatives for nematode management.