Distribuição vertical da nematofauna associada ao cultivo da cana-de-açúcar em área de várzea

Abstract

Knowledge of nematode trophic community in soil cultivated with sugarcane is fundamental for understanding variations on population dynamics of these organisms and effects on crop productivity. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the vertical fluctuation of nematode community and two physical variables of soil: humidity and particle density in a swamp area cultivated intensively with sugarcane in Pernambuco, Brazil; characterize nematode community and describe relationships among variables evaluated. Horizontally it was collected samples in 40 points designed in a 36 × 12 m-net. Vertically, soil and root samples were collected at 0-10, 10-20, 20-40, 40-60 cm-deep, and 0-10, 10-20 cm-deep, respectively. The total of nematodes present was 369,392 per 300 cm³, being 278,505 plantfeeding nematodes per 300 cm³ of soil. The genus Helicotylenchus (29.66%) and Pratylenchus (28.34%) were dominants within plant-feeding nematodes and the taxon Dorylaimidae (21.23%) within free-living nematodes. The ratio hyphal/bacterial-feeding was 0.16. The ratio (Omnivores + Animal Predators)/(Bacterial-feeding + Hyphal-feeding + Plant-feeding) was low (0.29), characteristic of annual crop. In general, the free-living and plant-feeding nematodes frequencies decreased as soil deep increased. Helicotylenchus sp. was the nematode which more correlated with the other taxa. In soil, Pratylenchus sp. was more frequent at 0-40 cm-deep and the taxon more affected by humidity. Soil humidity affected Pratylenchus, Criconemella, Dorylaimidae and Mononchidae frequencies negatively. Particle density of soil did not offer potential for use as indicator of nematode diversity in the area.