Pathogenicity of Meloidogyne Incognita (CHITWOOD) on Some Pepper (Capsicum spp.) Cultivars

Abstract

Pepper, a vegetable grown for human consumption. Its production was being constrained by the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita an important pest of pepper. This study was done to provide information on the pathogenicity of M. incognita on  pepper.Four pepper cultivars rated susceptible were used. In pot experiment, pepper seedlings were transplanted into pots and inoculated at one month with 0, 1,500, 2,500, 3,500 or 5,000 M. incognita eggs extracted with sodium hypochlorite. The experiment was factorial in Completely Randomized Design. In field experiment, Split-plot Design consisted of main plots (nematicide-treated and nematicide-untreated) with pepper cultivars as the subplots were used. Plant heights measured, number of leaves counted. At termination, fresh shoot weight, dry shoot weight, fresh root weight were measured. Final Nematode Population (FNP), Reproductive Factor (RF) and Galling Index (GI) were estimated. There were direct relationships between the inoculation levels of M. incognita on pepper, Galling Index, Final nematode Population but inverse relationship with Reproductive Factor.Meloidogyne incognita infection of pepper resulted in gall formation, reduced height by 58.7±12.3%, number of leaves 10±3.1%, fresh shoot weight 39.4±10.5%, dry shoot weight 34.0±8.6%, fresh root weight35.6±9.8% and yield 67.9±18.6%.

Meloidogyne incognita was pathogenic on the pepper cultivars.

Keywords: cultivars, final nematode population, galling index, inoculation, reproductive factor, root-knot nematode.                              .