Changes of nematode community under monoculture wheat and wheat/jujube intercropping system in Xinjiang, Northwest China

Abstract

Nematode communities in the soils of wheat (Triticum aestivum Linn.) rhizosphere grown alone and grown in jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) orchard were investigated for three years in Hetian arid area, Xingjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, northwest of China. The results showed that eu-dominant families were Rhabditidae, Cephalobidae and Aphelenchidae among 15 families and 19 genera. Nematode abundance in wheat rhizosphere soil was smaller in wheat/jujube intercropping system, mainly because of lower numbers of bacterial feeders and fungal feeders. Besides, the nematode numbers of cp-1 and cp-2 (cp, colonizer-persister) guilds were significantly lower in wheat/jujube intercropping system than that in monoculture wheat system, due to the markedly lower numbers of Rhabditidae and Cephalobidae, although those of cp-3 and cp-4 guilds had no significant differences between monoculture and intercropping systems. Shannon-Weaver index (H'), genus dominance index (Ig) and structural index (SI), represented soil food web diversity and structure, had no differences between monoculture and intercropping systems. Significantly lower values of Wasilewska index (WI) and PPI/MI in monoculture wheat than in intercropping system. It was concluded that the soil status in monoculture wheat system exhibited better soil ecosystem in compared with wheat/ jujube intercropping system.