Host Status of Cover Crops for the Management of Pratylenchus jaehni on Coffee

Abstract

The lesion nematode Pratylenchus jaehni occurs at low frequency in Brazilian coffee orchards but could provoke extensive root damage. Intercropping cover crops is a traditional practice in Brazilian coffee orchards, and the use of non-hosts of P. jaehni as cover crops may be a useful management method. In this work, 10 cover crops were tested concerning reproduction of P. jaehni. Cajanus cajan, Canavalia ensiformis, and Mucuna deeringiana are cover crops commonly used as intercropping in coffee orchards, but they must not be used in orchards infested with P. jaehni, because they are good hosts of this nematode. Brachiaria ruziziensis, Crotalaria juncea, Dolichos lablab, and Pennisetum glaucum were considered poor hosts. Helianthus annuus cv. Catissol and cv. Uruguai and Crotalaria spectabilis proved to be non-hosts to P. jaehni, and therefore, they are the cover crops recommended in coffee orchards infested with this nematode.