Correlations Among Calcium Carbonate, Pratylenchus brachyurus, Soil Chemical Properties, and Nutrient Uptake by Soybean

Purpose. Liming, a common practice in soil fertility management, can affect plant-parasitic nematodes, particularly the lesion nematode Pratylenchus brachyurus . This study investigated the effects of different rates of calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) on the development of P. brachyurus in soybean grown under greenhouse conditions. Methods. Two trials were conducted in a completely randomized design with five CaCO 3 rates: 0, 0.34, 0.81, 1.29, and 1.76 g kg − 1 . Lime was incubated in the soil for 15 days before soybean sowing. After plant emergence, 500 specimens of P. brachyurus were inoculated per experimental unit. At 75 days after inoculation, total number of P. brachyurus in roots, population density, chlorophyll index, soil chemical properties, and shoot nutrient contents were evaluated. Results. CaCO 3 rates of 1.0–1.25 g kg − 1 were estimated to reduce P. brachyurus number by 59.0–74.5% and population density by 60.0–67.0%. Vegetative variables were not affected by CaCO 3 rate, although chlorophyll index decreased linearly with increasing rate. Liming increased soil pH, calcium content, and base saturation and reduced potential acidity, aluminum, and magnesium. Reductions in foliar sulfur, phosphorus, potassium, boron, and zinc were also observed. Multivariate analysis indicated differences among treatments across the liming gradient, associating higher soil pH and calcium levels with lower P. brachyurus populations. Conclusion. CaCO 3 application interferes with P. brachyurus populations and influences soil nutrient dynamics, altering physiological responses in soybean.