Management of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita in carrot.

The root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognito, remains to be one of the most important constraints in agricultural production worldwide. However, reports showed that root-knot nematode (RKN) population can be suppressed by addition of organic amendments. A greenhouse microplot experiment was conducted to determine if locally available organic amendments would reduce RKN population and improve the growth and yield of more susceptible and less susceptible carrot cultivars in comparison with the farmers' practice. Residues of broccoli, chicken manure and Trichoderma inoculant were incorporated into the soil artificially infested with root-knot nematodes. Untreated microplots were provided as controls. Three months after transplanting, nematodes were recovered from the soil using the modified Baermann-tray technique and from the roots using staining technique. The number of root-knot nematodes was counted under the stereoscopic microscope. In the more susceptible cultivar New Kuroda, significantly lowest number of second stage juveniles (J2's) was recovered from the soil incorporated with broccoli left-over materials and Trichoderma inoculant while chicken manure-amended soil had the most number of J2's. Galls and egg masses in secondary roots were highest in unamended-inoculated soil which was significantly different from broccoli-amended soil with solarisation and Trichoderma inoculant. No significant differences were obtained among the treatments in the less susceptible cultivar Chunhong. The yield was significantly highest in broccoli-amended soil with solarisation and Trichoderma inoculant but no significant difference existed between the two cultivars tested. In general, the treatments with broccoli residues and Trichoderma inoculant were able to decrease root-knot nematode population and significantly increase the yield relative to untreated soil, however, differences between the two cultivars were not significant.

Response of five lettuce cultivars to root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita.

The root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognito (Kofoid et White) Chitwood is an important pathogen of vegetables. Five commercial cultivars of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) were evaluated under greenhouse conditions for resistance to Meloidogyne incognita, Benguet population. Plants were inoculated with 1000 eggs collected from 'Apollo' tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) roots. The degree of galling and number of egg masses were assessed 4 and 8 weeks after inoculation. Host plant response was classified as immune, highly resistant, resistant, moderately resistant, intermediate, moderately susceptible, and highly susceptible based on the resistance index of Kouamè et at., 1998 [RI = (gall2 + egg2)]. Inoculation of 1000 eggs/plant significantly affected the growth and yield of the five lettuce cultivars 4 and 8 weeks after inoculation. A significant interaction was observed between treatment and cultivar during the two evaluation periods in terms of marketable and non-marketable yield, plant height, root weight, number of galls and number of egg masses. A reduction in growth and yield was observed in the cultivars Ballon, Lollo Rosa and Red Wave. Significant differences were noted in the number of galls and egg masses among the different cultivars tested. The highest average number of galls was obtained from the cultivars Red Wave, Ballon and Lollo Rosa. Cultivar Ballon had the highest average number of recovered nematode while Gilaben had the lowest with 15 and 4 per roots, respectively after 4 weeks inoculation. After 8 weeks, nematode was highest in cultivar Red Wave (615) and lowest in Great Lakes (70). Based on the host response, cultivars Great Lakes and Gilaben were rated highly resistant and resistant, respectively, while Red Wave, Ballon and Lollo Rosa were rated intermediate.