Effect of root-knot-nematode (<i>Meloidogyne incognita</i>) on growth and (<i>Solenostemon rotundifolius Poir</i>)

Abstract

Investigation was carried out to determine the susceptibility of Hausa Potato (Solenostemon rotundifolius Poir) to toot-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita). Six population levels of 0, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 and 5000 replicated five times were inoculated to each Hausa potato seedling. At a nematode population of zero (0) the highest number of clean tubers were obtained and no nematode symptoms were observed whereas the leas number of tubers were obtained at a nematode population of 5000 eggs which also had the highest nematode incidence symptomized by heavy galling on the roots and on the tubers causing them to appear unattractive. The number of tubers significantly (p = 0.05) decreased as the nematode population increased. Higher soil nematode population were also recovered from plots inoculated with 5000 eggs. Mean tuber, fresh and dry shoot weights decreased as nematode population also increased. This therefore implies that Hausa potato (Solenostemon rotundifolius) may not be successfully cultivated in fields highly infested with Meloidogyne spp, nor used in crop rotation with other crops susceptible to root-knot nematode.Keywords: Rootknot nematode Growth,Yield - Hausa potato