Areas designated for cultivating wheat [Triticum aestivum] are the most extensive of all terrestrial crops. Due to its importance T. aestivum, has been the subject of numerous studies. In the present study, we investigated the effects of phenological stages of the wheat plant rhizosphere on the composition of soil free-living nematode communities. During the growth period [November 2020-August 2021], soil samples were collected at various intervals, corresponding to distinct phenological stages. Soil samples were obtained from the top layer [0 - 10 cm] for both biotic and abiotic analysis. The soil free-living nematode community was assessed using high-throughput sequencing of the 18S rRNA and its ITS gene regions. Our findings reveal that soil water content was significantly [p < 0.05] influenced by both the rainy season and the variations in plant cover. Soil organic matter content and salinity levels [EC] were also significantly [p < 0.05] affected by the sampling area [control versus plant cover]. Notably, plant cover was positively associated with specific dominant nematode taxa, including Dorylaimida and Ditylenchus. These populations exhibit increased relative abundance and dominance within the soil as phenological stages progressed and root system biomass expanded. The strongest significant association, specifically seen in the wheat field [WF], showed a negative correlation between Rhabditis and nematode diversity [H’], with a significance level of p < 0.0001. Throughout the study period, bacterivores remained the most common trophic group in both the wheat field and control area, making up 54.5% of all identified nematodes. These results strongly indicate that nematode populations were significantly affected by the factors examined in this study.
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