The effect of manganese deficiency and cereal cyst nematode infection on the growth of barley

Summary Two factorial pot experiments, each with four rates of soil-applied manganese (Mn), four levels of cereal cyst nematodes (CCN) and four replicates, were conducted under controlled environmental conditions to investigate the interaction of these factors on growth of barley. The experiments were harvested sequentially to count numbers of nematodes at two developmental stages. Development of the nematodes was independent of the Mn status of the host, indicating no effect of Mn on host resistance. In the absence of CCN, decreased Mn had a small effect on vegetative growth, not significantly decreasing dry weight of tops but tolerance at the higher densities of CCN was considerably reduced at low Mn supply, both vegetative growth and grain yield being depressed. Increasing CCN density exerted little effect on the growth of Mn sufficient hosts. Two field surveys supported conclusions from the pot experiments in that increasing nematode densities were correlated with decreasing plant size only at the site where plants were low in Mn. An implication for the field is that crops infected with the nematode and also low in Mn may yield less than expected because the two factors interact to reduce growth and retard development.