Abstract
The interaction of the fungus, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (FOV), and the nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, on wilt disease on “Essoumtem” and Clemson spineless okra varieties, was examined in pot and field experiments from September 2016 to June 2017, in the University of Ghana farms. Four-week-old “Essoumtem” and Clemson spineless seedlings for pot experiment and one-week-old “Essoumtem” and Clemson spineless seedlings for field experiment were inoculated with fungus, Fusarium oxysporum, and nematode, Meloidogyne incognita. The individual, simultaneous, and sequential inoculation of second stage juveniles (at 1000 J2/kg soil) of Meloidogyne incognita and Fusarium oxysporum (1.1 × 106 cells/kg soil) resulted in significant reduced plant growth parameters (plant height, plant girth, chlorophyll content, fresh and dry shoot weights, and fresh and dry root weights). Maximum suppression in plant growth parameters was observed in plants that received NF21 (Fusarium oxysporum inoculated 21 days after Meloidogyne incognita on okra) and F21 (fungus inoculated 21 days after seedling emergence) treatments for pot and field experiments, respectively. The least suppression of plant growth parameters was observed in separate inoculations of the two pathogens for both pot and field experiments. Maximum suppression in yield parameters was observed in okra plants that received NF21 and F21 treatments for pot and field experiments, respectively. Minimal yield suppression was observed for individual inoculations (N and F treatments) in both pot and field experiments. The highest severity of wilt disease was observed on okra plants that received NF21 and F21 treatment in both pot and field experiments. Plants in control plots had higher yields and the least wilt incidences (0.0%).
Highlights
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is regarded, amongst other species of plants from the Malvaceae family, as extensively consumed [1] and known to be an economically significant vegetable crop cultivated in many parts of the world [1,2,3,4]
Meloidogyne incognita eggs were extracted from roots of infested okra plants. ese eggs were hatched into second stage juveniles [25]. e second stage nematode juveniles for inoculations onto each plant were estimated to a concentration of 1,000 juveniles
Mean Plant Height, Girth, and Chlorophyll Contents of “Essoumtem” and “Clemson Spineless” Plants Inoculated with Fusarium oxysporum in Pot Experiment from Weeks 4 to 10
Summary
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) is regarded, amongst other species of plants from the Malvaceae family, as extensively consumed [1] and known to be an economically significant vegetable crop cultivated in many parts of the world [1,2,3,4]. In Northern Ghana, the crop is grown for its high commercial value for deprived growers and significance as a component in the diet of the people. Within developing countries such as Ghana, okra is cultivated with ease, and it represents an essential cash crop for families in underprivileged areas. Meloidogyne incognita causes root-knot diseases infecting a wide range of crops [12,13,14,15,16,17,18]. Fusarium wilt (Vascular wilt) caused by the fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (FOV) is one of the utmost significant diseases on Malvaceae species [20]. e concept of nematode-fungi relationship in plant diseases has been researched for the mechanism of interaction to be International Journal of Agronomy understood [21,22,23,24]. e objective of this study was to evaluate individual, simultaneous, and sequential inoculations between Meloidogyne incognita and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum on the growth and yield of “Essoumtem” and Clemson spineless okra varieties
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