Suppression of Meloidogyne incognita Infection on Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) Using Neem (Azadirachta indica) and Poultry Manure

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to assess the suppression of root-knot nematode on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) using neem (Azadirachta indica) and poultry manure. The experiment was conducted at the screen house of the National Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT) Idi-Ishin, Ibadan Oyo State. Tomato seedlings, Roma, Cobra, Nadira, Lindo, Kiara, and Panther cultivars are grown in pots filled with steam-sterilized soil. Seedlings were treated with neem extract (Azadirachta indica), poultry manure and a combination of neem and poultry manure which were assigned at 0.4g each to inoculated pots of root-knot nematode (5,000 juveniles of nematodes) which 5ml was applied per tomato stand. The treatments applied in the trials reduced root-knot nematode populations in the soil with corresponding increases in plant height, number of leaves, stem girth and fruit yield over the control. There was a significant (P ≤ 0.05) reduction in the root galls from the treated pots with maximum nematode eggs (1200.00) and juveniles (980.00) observed in untreated pots followed by neem extract application (101.50 eggs) and (720.00 juveniles), poultry manure application (415.00 eggs) and 89.50 juveniles while minimum root-knot nematode eggs of 82.50 and 415.00 juveniles were obtained in neem plus poultry manure. This research recommends the incorporation of poultry manure in nematode-infested soils.