Physical and chemical properties and nematode fauna of two orchard soils in Kanagawa Prefecture

Abstract

Investigations were made on the relationships between the nematode fauna and the properties of soil in the two orchards “Yamato” and “Hiratsuka” that differed in soil type in Kanagawa prefecture: Yamato soil was humic andosol while Hiratsuka soil was dystric fluvisol according to the FAO system. Yamato soil was composed of seven horizons and Hiratsuka soil was composed of 5 horizons as far as around 100cm deep. Although the two soils differed in the nematode fauna as well as in the physical and chemical properties, the following relationships were observe in both soils. The population density of nematodes was considerably related to the air phase and the liquid phase of soils. When there was a horizon whose hardness exceeded 6kg/cm³ or so, the population density of nematodes decreased conspicuously from the horizon to the lower horizons.