A collaborative research project by two Scottish farming co-ops is seeking to mitigate the spread of plant parasitic nematodes in daffodils and potatoes.
As Ken Fletcher reports for The Scottish Farmer, backed in Scotland by Grampian Growers and Scottish Agronomy, alongside the James Hutton Institute, Harper Adams University and HL Hutchinson, the three-year project is looking at sustainable ways to effectively suppress pests and pathogens using cover crops.
“Through this project we are looking for the most robust alternative solutions through IPM to secure the future of the bulb and potato growing industry,” according to Eric Anderson, a senior agronomist at Scottish Agronomy.
This joint project aims to investigate alternative cover crop options for managing soil-borne nematode populations and reducing the viability of PCN. The field trials will evaluate brassica bio-fumigants and nematode trap crops which are ‘poor plant hosts’ that can significantly limit nematode multiplication and substantially reduce existing soil populations.
Source: The Scottish Farmer. Read the full story here
Photo: Eric Anderson of Scottish Agronomy. Credit and courtesy The Scottish Farmer
