NEMATICIDAL POTENTIALS OF TWO BOTANICALS IN THE MANAGEMENT OF ROOT – KNOT NEMATODE (MELOIDOGYNE INCOGNITA) INFECTING TWO VARIETIES OF CUCUMBER (CUCUMIS SATIVUS L.)
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Date
2017
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Publisher
Horticultural Society of Nigeria
Abstract
The experimental trial was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin in 2015 cropping season to investigate the nematicidal efficacy of Solanum torvum and Tithonia diversifolia on root-knot nematode infecting two Cucumber varieties; Cucumber – beth alpha and Cucumber Marketmore 76. Initial soil nematode population was increased by incorporation of Meloidogyne incognita infected galled root of Celosia argentea into the ploughed and harrowed field. The experiment was a factorial type fitted into a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD ) and replicated four times. Data collection on plant growth commenced two weeks after planting. The fruits were harvested at maturity. Root systems were rated for galling and the initial and final nematode population present in the soil were identified and enumerated. Phytochemical screening was carried out to determine the bio- active ingredients present in the botanicals. All numerical data were subjected to two – way analysis of variance and treatment means separated with Duncan’s multiple range tests at P < 0.05. Results obtained revealed that treated plants were performed significantly higher than their control counterparts especially with respect to yield, reduction in soil nematode population and root gall index. Phytochemical result showed that both Solanum torvum and Tithonia diversifolia contain bio- active ingredients such as alkaloids, tannins, saponin, phenols and terpenoids that are capable of reducing the pathogenicity of root-knot nematode and improving growth and yield.
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Keywords
Meloidogyne incognita, Solanum torvum, Tithonia diversifolia, Phytochemical screening, Bio-active ingredients