Damage functions and reproductive curves were determined for Hoplolaimus columbus on cotton cv. Deltapine 90 and soybean cv. Gordon over 2 years in field plots in Georgia. Maximum potential yield suppressions of 18% on cotton and 48% on soybean were predicted with respect to increasing Pi. Similar functions indicated yield suppressions of 38% on cotton and 30% on soybean with respect to increasing midseason nematode densities (Pm). Maximum Pf predicted by reproductive curves were 123 and 474/100 cm(3) soil on cotton and soybean, respectively. Thresholds at which 10% yield suppression would occur were lower on soybean (Pi of 4) than on cotton (Pi of 70/100 cm(3) soil). The economic threshold for a control measure costing $72/ha was a Pi of 60/100 cm(3) soil on cotton, assuming a price for cotton lint of $1.44/kg ($0.60/lb), whereas a similar treatment would not be economically feasible on soybean at any Pi with an assumed price of $0.04/kg ($5.50/bu) soybean seed. Damage functions and reproductive curves as determined in this study offer potentially useful tools for analyzing cropping systems and providing decision tools for nematode management.
Keywords: Glycine max; Gossypium hirsutum; Hoplolaimus columbus; cotton; cropping system; damage function; economic threshold; nematode; reproductive curve; soybean; yield.