Grondbewerking en biotische weerbaarheid (BO-31.03-001-016, BO-12.03-002-031)

The project is focused on the sustainability problems in current maize production. The population dynamics of plant pathogens and pests as well as their antagonists is studied in new tillage systems and maize cropping systems with green manure crops and intercropping which are developed in the project ’Improvement of soil quality in maize production’. The effects of several cropping systems on the populations are quantified. Samplings are conducted in a multi-year field trial on clay soil. The occurrence of leaf diseases will be assessed in several maize production systems. The colonization of crop residues of maize but also of green manure crops and intercropping crops by leaf pathogens will be analyzed. Therefore, new quantitative molecular methods will be developed for the specific detection of Helminthosporium turcicum, H. carbonum en Kabatiella zeae.

In 2012 and 2013, we monitored the population of soil animals in three different tillage systems. The plant disappearance is the highest with the no tillage system; this might be explained by the higher abundance of snails, wireworms and Oscinella frit flies. Earthworm had the highest number among all the soil animals in the soil samples. In general, few insects were found in the soil samples, wireworm was relatively more abundant. The no tillage system had got the highest number of wireworms. In 2013 also pitfall traps were used next to the soil samples, in order to get a better picture of animals living in and on the soil. Tillage has a clear influence on the insects and earthworm population in the maize field.