MANAGEMENT OF Meloidogyne incognitaon HOT PEPPER (Capsicum frutescens L.) WITH PLANT EXTRACTS AND NEEM SEED CAKE

Abstract

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp) are serious pests of vegetable crops pepper inclusive. Ecofriendly management options including botanicals appear to be viable alternative to chemical nematicides. This research evaluated the effects of some plant extracts and organic amendment on the pathogenicity of Meloidogyne incognita on hot pepper CV. EFIA in the Screenhouse. Pepper seedlings were inoculated with 5,000 larvae of M. incognita and plants treated with different concentrations of the extracts. The treatments were: 5% and 10% w/v of neem leaf; mango leaf, pawpaw leaf extracts, 2 and 4 t/ha neem seed cake, nematode free plants (with no plant extracts (control I) and nematode inoculated plants with no plant extracts (control II). The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design with ten treatments replicated four times. Results obtained showed that all the botanicals significantly (P<0.05) inhibited root galling, and other nematode damage indices. Also, plant extracts and soil amendment with neem cake significantly (p<0.05) enhanced growth and yield of pepper compared with the control. Soil amendment with 4 t/ha of neem cake was the best among the treatments in nematode control and yield enhancement and could be used for managing M. incognita infected pepper plants.