Early results show nematode community structure can be managed in the grove.
Citrus nematode, a plant-parasite often constraining citrus yield, increased in the presence of citrus trees. Thus, nematode feeding groups were differentially stimulated by alternative management practices. Microbial activity, after two years of tree growth, appeared insensitive to the presence or absence of trees, but that insensitivity could be transitory, if the trees influence the decomposition process as they increase in size. The goal of this research is to understand the links between soil organisms and the ecosystem processes of productivity and decomposition, trying to determine how those linkages can be managed to sustain citrus production.