The Inhibition of Hatching of Potato Root Eelworm (Heterodera Rostochiensis Woll.) in Partially Sterilized Soil

Experiments on the hatching of Heterodera rostochiensis have shown that the addition of ammonium carbonate to potato root water markedly inhibits hatching when the concentration of ammonia introduced is approximately 100 p.p.m. The strong acid salts of ammonia in equivalent amounts have no such inhibitory effect. These observations are linked with experiments on the effect of partial sterilization of soil on the hatching of H. rostochiensis, and it is demonstrated that delay of hatching in such soils is only effective so long as the ammonia concentration within the soil is maintained at a sufficiently high level.