Impacts of Winter Brassica Carinata and Summer Crop Rotation on Nematode Management

Reniform nematode (Rotylenchulus reniformis) is a major yield-robber throughout the Southeast.  Crop rotation is one of main strategies for managing this nematode.  We investigated the impact of winter Brassica carinata production, an emerging oilseed crop in the Southeast, and traditional summer cash crops—cotton, corn, peanut, and soybean—on reniform nematode abundances.  The platform for this research is a replicated, 4-year field trial initiated in 2017 to investigate how carinata fits in Southeast cropping systems.  Reniform nematode abundances were measured to 4 feet deep because this nematode is know to infest deep in the soil profile and different crops may influence its distribution.