Exploring patterns of Camellia seed cake application in relation to plant growth, soil nematodes and microbial biomass

ABSTRACT

The suppression of plant-parasitic nematodes is crucial for maintaining the worldwide development of the banana industry. In this study, different application patterns of Camellia seed cake previously reported to suppress root-knot nematode were conducted to manage pests and promote banana seedling growth. The results demonstrated seven days delay before transplanting was necessary after Camellia seed cake application. The dose 5 g/kg soil resulted in best plant growth promotion performance, which increased banana seedling height, stem diameter, shoot, and root fresh weight by upto 29%, 27%, 47%, and 21%, respectively. Plastic film mulching was beneficial when high amount (2%) of Camellia seed cake was added. The application of Camellia seed cake increased nutrient potassium amounts; the abundance of soil free-living nematodes, especially bacterivores; and the abundance of soil microbes and the soil catalase activity, while reduced plant-parasitic nematodes amounts. Further correlation analysis between the soil nematodes and microbial abundance showed that plant-parasite numbers had significant negative correlations with the bacterial biomass and a portion of the fungal biomass; bacterivores had significant positive correlations with the bacterial biomass; and omnivores had significant correlations with the bacterial biomass and fungal biomass. A fundamental challenge of root-knot nematode control is to sustain ecological services without losing biodiversity. This study provided an environmentally friendly strategy based on Camellia seed cake to regulate the soil health and quality.

KEY WORDS:

• Camellia seed cake
• plastic film mulching
• nematode assemblages
• microbial biomass
• plant-parasitic nematodes

Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge Dr. Manqiang Liu and Dr. Xiaoyun Chen of Nanjing Agricultural University for excellent assistance in nematode community analysis and thank Hainan WanZhong Co., Ltd for huge help to us in banana planting. This work was supported by the National key research and development program (2017YFD0200805 and 2016YFE0101100), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31572212 and 31601836), the Hainan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (317040), the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China (BK20150059, BK20160710, and BK20160730), the Priority Academic Program Development of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD), the 111 project (B12009), Top-notch Academic Programs Project of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PPZY2015A061), Qing Lan Project and Startup Foundation for Doctors of Shanxi Medical University (03201522).

Supplementary material

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Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National key research and development program [2017YFD0200805 and 2016YFE0101100], the National Natural Science Foundation of China [31572212 and 31601836], the Hainan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China [317040], the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province, China [BK20150059, BK20160710, and BK20160730], the Priority Academic Program Development of the Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions [PAPD], the 111 project [B12009], Top-notch Academic Programs Project of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions [PPZY2015A061], Qing Lan Project and Startup Foundation for Doctors of Shanxi Medical University [03201522].