Nematode communities on putting greens, fairways, and roughs of organic and conventional cool-season golf courses

•Nematodes were less diverse on putting greens than roughs or fairways.•Herbivore nematodes had a lower maturity index on putting greens than roughs or fairways.•Nematode communities were similar for organic and conventional fairways and roughs.•Percent herbivores were lower on organic than conventional putting greens.•PH, phosphorus, and organic matter positively related to increased herbivores.

Nematodes are an important component of the golf course ecosystem. Many species provide benefits to turfgrass, while others can cause significant damage. Previous studies on golf courses have focused only on herbivore nematodes, mostly on putting greens. This study aimed to characterize all nematode trophic groups and nematode maturity and ecological indices under different management intensities (depicted by roughs, fairways, and putting greens) of three golf courses representing conventional and organic management types over two seasons in 2013 and 2014. The putting greens on all three golf courses had lower diversity and herbivore (plant-parasitic) index (PPI) values than the other management areas. The relative abundance of herbivores, bacterivores, and structure index (SI) values differed among organic and conventional management. Canonical correspondence and multiple stepwise regression analyses revealed pH, phosphorous, and organic matter were positively related to increased herbivores and negatively related to increased bacterivores. The results of this study can be used to develop alternative management practices aimed at decreasing problematic herbivore populations on putting greens and increasing potentially beneficial bacterivores.