When is soil treatment most appropriate?

Soil treatment is most appropriate when dealing with root-knot nematodes because these pests are soil-borne and can cause significant damage to plant roots, leading to reduced growth and yields. Implementing soil treatments, such as nematicides or other soil amendments, can help reduce nematode populations and protect crops. These treatments target the nematodes where they reside, within the soil, providing a more direct and effective management strategy.

In contrast, using herbicides is not a situation where soil treatment is typically required, as herbicides are designed to target above-ground plant structures rather than soil-borne pathogens. Monitoring for insect pests focuses on above-ground activity, and therefore, does not necessitate soil treatments directly. Finally, soil treatments are not generally performed during crop harvesting periods, as this timing would likely interfere with the process of harvesting and could potentially harm the crops being collected.