Apple seedlings grown in soil infested with root-lesion nematodes (on the left) and in soil without nematodes (on the right). Whenever there is evidence of nematode problems in an orchard or vineyard—such as poor growth or yields—pathogens are usually working in concert with the nematodes, says Dr. Tom Forge, researcher with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at Agassiz, British Columbia. “They are rarely the sole issue.” That’s why Forge advises growers to focus on enhancing soil health in order to address all the various aspects of the disease complex, not nematodes alone. Nematodes, which are microscopic roundworms, are the most abundant […]