Efficiency of Bacillus subtilis for root-knot and lesion nematodes management in sugarcane

The objective of this study was to evaluate two application procedures of Bacillus subtilis for biological control of nematodes in two sugarcane genotypes (RB867515 and SP81-3250) compared to a conventional chemical control. The experiment was conducted in an area naturally infested with root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) and root-lesion nematodes (Pratylenchus spp.). The treatments were two genotypes of sugarcane (SP81-3250 and RB867515) combined with four nematodes control methods (carbofuran, Bacillus subtilis applied at planting, B. subtilis applied at post-emergence and control). Three evaluations were performed to quantify the number of nematodes in the roots for each production cycle of the crop during the experimental period. Biological control with B. subtilis provided effective control of nematodes in all three cycles of production of sugarcane. The application of bacteria in the groove proved to be more effective for nematode control than post-emergence application. The conventional control with carbofuran provided nematode control only in plant cane.