Authors
Guy
Bélair
,
Nathalie
Dauphinais
, and
Yvon
Fournier
,
Horticulture Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Canada J3B 3E6
; and
Om P.
Dangi
,
Agriculture Environmental Renewal Canada Inc. (AERC), Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K2E 7J6
ABSTRACT
Two 1-year rotation experiments were conducted from 1998 to 2000 to assess the impact of forage and grain pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) on Pratylenchus penetrans populations in a tobacco field (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Delgold) in Quebec. Performance of these crops was compared with rye, the standard rotation crop. Rye plots were doubled to include a fumigated standard (application of metham sodium at 67.4 liters/ha on a band). Forage pearl millet increased tobacco yields by an average of 103% compared with nonfumigated rye. In 2000, leaf dry weights of tobacco following grain pearl millet CGPM H5 and CGPM H6 was increased by 70 and 73%, respectively, when compared with nonfumigated rye and were not significantly different from the fumigated plots following rye. Forage and grain pearl millet should be considered as a viable alternative to fumigation for controlling P. penetrans infestation in flue-cured tobacco production in Quebec.
