Degree of nematode resistance to Meloidogyne incognita race 2 in Artemisia afra ethnomedicinal plant

Abstract

Attempts are underway to cultivate Artemisia afra as an alternative crop due to its medicinal properties which span all 10 international medicinal systems. However, most crop-related developmental projects had not been successful due to the widespread distribution of root-knot (Meloidogyne species) nematodes, which had a wide host range. The objective of this study was to determine the host-status and host-sensitivity of A. afra to M. incognita race 2 was determined at six levels of inoculation in a pot trial. At 56 days after inoculation, treatments were highly significant on reproductive factor (RF) and root galls, contributing 87 and 89% in total treatment variation of the respective variables. At lower inoculation (Pi≥75 eggs and second-stage juveniles), RF values were above unity, whereas at moderate (Pi 250–500) and high (Pi≥1125) inoculation levels, RF values were less than unity. Gall rating at all inoculation levels ranged from 1 to 2 on the North Carolina Differential Scale, whereas M. incognita race 2 infection had no significant effects on growth of A. afra. In conclusion, A. afra had attributes of plant tolerance to infection by population of M. incognita race 2.