During the observation of a garlic plantation, a sample consisting of plants with symptoms of growth inhibition and the soil surrounding the roots was collected. Phytophagous nematodes were isolated from the soil sample as well as the garlic plant shoots, with an average density of 75 individuals per 100 mL. Microscope slides were prepared from adult individuals and subjected to morphological and morphometric analysis, as well as DNA examination. It was demonstrated that the examined nematodes belong to the species Robustodorus subtenuis. Both the female and male nematodes differed from individuals previously found in the cultivation of Narcissus and Gladiolus. On average, R. subtenuis females have shorter bodies and longer tails, with the averages calculated for the nematode population from the soil being slightly lower than the average values for nematodes from the garlic shoots. Additionally, the females found in the soil had a shorter distance from the lip region to the vulva and a shorter post-vulval sac, the length of which constituted 32 to 45% of the distance from the vulva to the anus. On average, the male bodies were shorter and had longer tails. They were also wider at the level of the anus. The average body length of males isolated from the soil, like that of the females, was lower than the average for individuals isolated from the garlic shoots. Variations in the influence of the host plant on the morphometry of the parasitic nematodes were observed. This is the first report of R. subtenuis colonizing garlic plants in Poland.

The leaf nematode Aphelenchoides fragariae is one of the most serious pathogens of strawberries, causing significant yield losses. In search of environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical control, we evaluated the potential of vermicompost (Ve) and silver ions (Ag+) to suppress nematode populations. An experiment with four replicates was conducted to evaluate the effects of vermicompost and nanosilver on the leaf nematode A. fragariae and the yield of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa). The study was conducted at The National Institute of Horticultural Research in Skierniewice in concrete rings (150 cm in diameter and 60 cm in depth) filled with medium sandy soil. Treatments included the application of vermicompost and Ag+, while untreated soil served as the control. Nematode population density, and total fruit yield were recorded in 2022 and 2023. The results demonstrated a significant decline in nematode populations compared with the control. Strawberry yields in 2022 and 2023 were 5.69 t/ha in the control, 6.61 t/ha with vermicompost (+0.92 t/ha), and 6.72 t/ha with silver nanoparticles (+1.03 t/ha). In the vermicompost treatment, the population of A. fragariae decreased by more than 51% in 2022 and by 79% in 2023. A similarly strong reduction was observed for nanosilver (Ag⁺), which lowered the nematode population by over 35% in 2022 and by 69% in 2023.