Extraction and identification of weed seeds and plant-parasitic nematodes from soil samples collected from 98 cereal fields throughout Scotland

Abstract

Soil samples, from 98 farms randomly selected from the cereal acreage statistics compiled by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, were analysed at SCRI for weed seeds and migratory plant-parasitic nematodes. In a related project the East of Scotland College of Agriculture analysed a second set of samples for cereal cyst nematodes. Seeds of 41 weed species were identified and counted, the commonest being annual meadow-grass (Poa annua), rough meadow-grass (Poa trivialis) and common chickweed (Stellaria media), which occured in sampled from 90%, 62% and 60% of fields, respectively. More than 20 plant-parasitic nematode species were recovered, the major species being one of the needle nematodes (Longidorus elongatus), the stunt nematode (Tylenchorhynchus dubius) and a root lesion nematode (Pratylenchus crenatus), which occured in samples from 60%, 59% and 52% of fields, respectively.  Cereal cyst nematode ( Heterodera avenae) was found in soil samples from 69% of the fields.

The data from this project will be matched with information also collected on farm type, location, cropping practices and soil physical and chemical characteristics for each of the 98 fields, with the objectives of particular weed associations and nematode species and of deviing cost-effective control measures.