Rotations of Bahiagrass and Castorbean with Peanut for the Management of Meloidogyne arenaria.

The relative value of 'Hale' castorbean (Ricinus communis) and 'Pensacola' bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) as rotational crops for the management of Meloidogyne arenaria and southern blight (Sclerotium rolfsii) in 'Florunner' peanut (Arachis hypogaea) production was studied for 3 years in a field experiment in southeast Alabama. Peanut following 2 years of castorbean (C-C-P) yielded 43% higher than monocultured peanut without nematicide. At-plant application of aldicarb (30.5 g a.i./100 m row in a 20-cm-wide band) to monocultured peanut resulted in an average 38.9% increase in yield over the 3 years of the experiment. Peanut yield following 2 years of bahiagrass (B-B-P) was 36% higher than monocultured peanut without nematicide. Aldicarb application had no effect on southern blight, but both C-C-P and B-B-P rotations reduced the incidence of the disease in peanut. Juvenile populations of M. arenaria in soil at peanut harvest time were lower in plots with C-C-P than in those with the B-B-P rotation, and both rotations resulted in lower numbers of juveniles in soil than in the untreated monocultured peanut.