Effects of pre-maize cultivation on soil conditions in apple replanting habitat with alleviating soil deterioration indicated by soil nematode community

Abstract: We hypothesized that pre-maize cultivation (PMC) would alleviate replant problems. The soil nematode communities in replanted apple orchards (RAO) during two years of pre-maize cultivation were analysed. The herbivorous nematode populations were decreased and the values of nematode indices of H′, SR, WI and MI were increased at flowering stage in RAO with 2-year maize pre-planting treatments, which indicated that soil nematode community could present PMC effects on alleviating soil deterioration caused by replanting problems.