Most of the nematodes in the garden are beneficial to soil and plants. They feed on the organisms that can harm crops, such as bacteria, fungi, and other microscopic organisms. Some gardeners may even use nematodes to help control the population of insects that are parasitic to plants.
What do nematodes like eating?
Free living species, both aquatic and terrestrial, eat algae, fungi, bacteria, plants, tiny animals, and dead organic matter, and some are great recyclers. Many nematodes, both herbivores and carnivores, feed by inserting a rigid “stylet” into their food source—in some the stylet is hollow and acts as a drinking straw.
What do nematode eat in the soil?
THE LIVING SOIL: NEMATODES Some feed on the plants and algae (first trophic level); others are grazers that feed on bacteria and fungi (second trophic level); and some feed on other nematodes (higher trophic levels).
How do I keep nematodes out of my garden?
If you cannot plant nematode-resistant strains, practice good crop rotation. Some species of root knot nematodes are more selective than others. Planting cover crops like marigolds or sudangrass between at-risk crops will also bring down the nematode population. Remove the roots of old plants when clearing the bed.
What kinds of crops are most affected by nematodes?
Other common garden vegetables grown during mid- to late summer, such as tomato, pepper, cucumber, squash, eggplant, and okra also are highly susceptible to root-knot nematode. Plants growing in nematode-infested soils usually are unthrifty, stunted, yellowish, and have galled and decayed roots.
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