Appendix

Abstract

The influence of pasture plant species oli the aggregation and oviposition behaviour of black beetle adults was examined. Adults tended to aggregate under grass species rather than white clover or bare ground. A preference for grasses, and in particular for Paspolum dilatatum, as oviposition sites was noted. The significance of this to larval development and population sampling is discussed.     

Populations of Longidorus elongatus (Nematoda: Longidoridae) in two New Zealand soils under grazed pasture

Abstract

Information on the “needle nematode” Longidorus elongatus in New Zealand pastures has hitherto been limited. Monthly sampling of Pukepuke black sand and Manawatu fine sandy loam yielded L. elongatus populations up to 87 500 m^?2 (February) and 21 600 m^?2 (August). First stage juveniles appeared when soil temperature exceeded 15°C; females dominated populations every month and males were rare. Differences in abundance between soils may reflect the pore space available to these relatively large nematodes. Specimens survived 24 weeks storage at 5 and 15°C. While abundance tended to decline with depth, at 30–40 cm depth in Pukepuke sand, numbers increased, perhaps through the impact of groundwater levels on rooting patterns. In Pukepuke sand, plant species were associated with significantly different populations of L. elongatus, with Trifolium repens and T. subter‐raneum supporting more than Lolium perenne. More L. elongatus were found in grazed pasture with lower plant available P.