Colonization and Sex Ratios of Pratylenchus alleni in Soybean Roots under Two Soil Moisture Regimes

Population size and sex ratios of Pratylenchus alleni in soybeans were studied trader two different moisture regimes in Hagener loamy fine sand. Soil moisture was maintained from field capacity to 50% below field capacity in the dry regime and from field capacity to 25% above field capacity in the wet regime. The initial peak of colonization of soybeans by P. alleni was in the top 5-cm of taproot 14 days after seeding. There were more P. alleni per unit length of taproot in the dry than in the wet regime during the first 7 days, and this trend continued in the top 5-cm of the taproot for 21 days. Nematode density was greater in taproots than in fibrous roots. The ratio of males to females recovered from roots was significantly higher in the dry than in the wet regime.