Influence of edaphic factors on soil acarines and plant parasitic nematodes and their interaction

Influence of soil temperature, moisture, pH and organic carbon was studied on soil acarine and nematode fauna and their interaction at four field sites at Hisar. Acarine populations were high from July to September at all the sites due to favourable soil temperature and moisture. Soil pH and organic carbon did not vary much during the sampling period and hence did not influence mite/nematode populations. Phytonematode populations were more influenced by host crop than edaphic factors. In citrus, papaya and vegetable fields, the mite populations were positively correlated with nematode populations, whereas in sugarcane field, nonsignificant negative correlation was observed between mite and nematode population.