Controlling nematodes in grain crops

Root-knot and lesion nematodes (Meloidogyne and Pratylenchus spp respectively) are the most important nematodes faced by grain farmers in South Africa. Increases in soil temperature and the presence of moisture lead to a resumption of activity after winter dormancy. This is especially the case at present, following the abundant rain in most local crop production areas in summer.

In their infective stages, these microscopic organisms use their reserve energy to move through the soil by means of the water layers surrounding soil particles in search for the roots of possible hosts. They infect and feed on the roots of grains and weeds, and can cause