INFLUENCE OF PHOSPHORUS AND ZINC APPLICATION ON SOIL NEMATODE COMMUNITY IN HOT PEPPER (CAPSICUM ANNUUM L.)

Abstract

This research studied nematode communities in the soil during hot pepper cultivation and under influence of Zn and P fertilizer application. The aim of this study was to determine changes in soil nematode communities during the cultivation of hot pepper under the influence of P, Zn and their combination (P+Zn) application. The study included the examination of changes in nematodes structure in soil, their total abundance, the total number of genera and analysis of trophic groups. Changes in nematode community were determined using the MI, MI 2–5, PPI and their ratio (PPI/MI). The diversity of the community was investigated using H’ index. Intensification in disturbance resulted in increased the total number of nematodes, as a result of reduction or elimination of the persisters in favor of colonizers, whereas larger disturbances decreased in genus richness soil nematode assemblages. The genera of nematodes which did not show sensitivity due to the presence of P and Zn are: Acrobeloides, Aphelenchoides, Aphelenchus, Dipterophora, Ditylenchus, Eucephalobus, Eudorylaimus, Mesodorylaimus, Paratylenchus, Plectus, Pratylenchus, Prodorylaimus, Rhabditis, Tylenchorhynchus and Tylenchus. The MI, PPI and PPI/MI did not significant distinguish the management regimes. The MI 2–5 was shown as an excelent parameter reflecting distress in nematode community structure. Omnivorous genera Panagrolaimus and Microdorylaimus were the most disturbance susceptible omnivores. Generally omnivorous were the most disturbance susceptible and their number reduced in all treatments by 50% compared to the control and according to that, omnivorous presents good parameter reflecting distress in nematode community.

Keywords

• Capsicum annuum
• disturbance indexes
• nematode community
• P
• trophic groups
• Zn