Long-term fertilization and cultivation impacts on nematode abundance
and community structure in tall fescue turfgrass
Abstract
Impacts of long-term fertilization and cultivation were evaluated on
nematode communities associated with tall fescue turfgrass following 11
years of treatment applications. Fertilizer treatments of biosolid,
synthetic, and plant-based fertilizers and cultivation treatments of 0x,
1x, and 2x aerification passes were applied to randomized and replicated
tall fescue plots at the University of Maryland Paint Branch Turfgrass
facility in College Park, Maryland. Free-living and plant-parasitic
nematodes were identified, enumerated, and categorized into functional
groups. Nematode count data were compared using generalized linear mixed
modeling with negative binomial distribution and two-way ANOVA was used
to compare nematode ecological indices. Biosolid treatments resulted in
lower omnivore-predator densities than plant-based fertilizer treatments
(P≤0.001) and significantly greater Hoplolaimus densities than
plant-based fertilizer plots (P≤0.05). Synthetic fertilizer applications
resulted in the greatest Eucephalobus (P≤0.05) and total bacterivore
densities (P≤0.001) of all fertilizer treatments. Plant-based fertilizer
treated plots had the largest Structure Index (P≤0.05). Cultivation of
1x resulted in fewer total bacterivore densities than 2x (P≤0.01) while
omnivore-predator densities were greater in 1x than 0x (P≤0.001). Plant
health, as measured by NDVI, was lowest in biosolid treated turfgrass
(P≤0.05). These findings suggest that long-term turfgrass management
practices can have variable impacts on nematode abundance and community
structure in tall fescue and provide insights into ecological impacts of
turfgrass management practices.