The potential for mapping nematode distributions for site-specific management

The success of site-specific nematode management depends on a grower or advisor being able to afford to make a map of an infestation that is accurate enough for management decisions. The spatial dependence of nematode infestations and correlation of soil attributes with nematode density were assessed to investigate the scale of sampling required to obtain correlated observations of density and the use of soils data to reduce the cost of sampling. Nematodes and soil were sampled on a 76.2 x 76.2-m grid in two irrigated corn (Zea mays) fields for 2 years. Nematodes of each of three species were found in 36% to 77% of the cores from a field. Spatial dependence was detected for 10 of 16 distributions, and 22% to 67% of the variation in density within a field could be attributed to spatial correlation. Density was correlated to distances of 115 to 649 m in the directions of 0, 45, 90, and 135 degrees from the crop row, and distances varied with direction. Correlations between nematode density and soil attributes were inconsistent between species and fields. These results indicate a potential for mapping nematode infestations for site-specific management, but provide no evidence for reducing the cost of sampling by substituting soils data for nematode counts when making a map.