The field was left for strip-tillage management. Fertilization and herbicide practices follow state recommendations for cotton production. On 1 May, plots were established using a randomized complete block design with five replicates per treatment. For treatment evaluation purposes, the field was subdivided into 25 16-row plots which varied in length from 2,620 to 3,240 ft. The nematicide regimes were either a conventional or variable rate application.
Conventional applications refer to a uniform rate of nematicide applied to the entire plot.
Conventional application rate was based on the mean population densities from the acre subplots that correspond with an individual strip. Variable rate application refers to different rates of nematicide being applied within a plot based on the nematode density map created from the acre subplots. Nematode levels were were similar between the treatments at mid-season . The variable rate applications, however, were not economical in this investigation. Grower costs for sampling and GPS equipment would not be recommended for an economical return in yields based on this study.