Approaches to organic sweet potato cultivation: managing nematodes, pests, and soil health with winter cover crops and biopesticides.

ABSTRACT: The growing demand for organic sweet potato production underscores the need for sustainable pest management and soil health strategies. This study evaluated six winter cover crop systems followed by summer sweet potato, with and without biopesticide applications, to manage Meloidogyne incognita and insect pests while assessing soil health indicators. Marketable yield was the highest after wheat (20,679 kg/ha), exceeding the fallow treatment by >2,000 kg/ha. Biopesticide use further increased yield (+700 kg/ha), reduced insect damage by 36%-40% (p ≤ 0.05), and enhanced crop value by $33/ha. At planting, M. incognita densities were similar across treatments, but by midseason, they were the lowest following rye. Wireworm damage did not vary by cover crop, although biopest

SUBMITTER: Schloemer CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12676265 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature