Journal of food science and technology(Iran)

Journal of food science and technology(Iran)

Efficacy of summer fallow on the RKN Meloidogyne spp. population density in sustainable celery

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Mohammed A. Shedhan 1
A. Khalaf A. Khalaf 2
H. Kandouh H. Kandouh 1
1 Department of Plant Protection, College of Agriculture, University of Kufa, Iraq
2 Department of Plant Production Technologies, Al-Furat Al-Awsat Technical University, Najaf, Iraq
10.48311/fsct.2026.118302.82987
Abstract
This study evaluated the adoption of summer fallow in celery cultivation and its impact on *Meloidogyne spp.* knot nematode densities across 24 fields in four districts of Najaf Governorate, Iraq, during October-November 2024. Data on irrigation, fertilizer, pesticides, and previous crops were collected. Results showed continuous cropping consistently led to the highest nematode infection rates, galling indices, and counts of eggs/J2 per plant and per 100g of soil. The highest field infection rate (93%) was in Mishkhab under continuous cultivation. In contrast, post-fallow fields generally showed reduced nematode levels. For example, in Suhaila, continuous cropping resulted in 316 eggs/J2 per 100g of soil, while post-fallow in Mishkhab had only 83. Despite this reduction, fallow adoption did not eliminate nematodes, as significant populations persisted, with post-fallow infection rates still reaching up to 80% in Suhaila. The findings demonstrate that while summer fallow significantly reduces nematode densities compared to continuous monocropping, it alone is insufficient for complete control. The practice's effectiveness varied by location, highlighting the influence of local edaphic and agronomic factors.
Keywords
Leafy greens
post-fallow agriculture
continuous cropping
Galling index
root-knot nematode

Subjects

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