The Effect of Air Dried Leaf Powder and Burnt Leaf Ash of Different Plants on Root-knot Nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) on Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench)

Abstract

The effect of air dried leaf powder and burnt leaf ash of different plants on the control of root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) on Okra was investigated in a pot experiment. The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design with nine treatments each replicated four times. The treatments included: burnt leaf ashes and air dried leaf powders of Baphia nitida, Pentaclethra macrophylla and Delonix regia, a synthetic nematicide (Carbofuran 3G) and two control which included inoculated but untreated (control 1) and un-inoculated and untreated (control 2) pots. The plants were inoculated with 1000 nematode eggs (Meloidogyne spp.), two weeks after emergence. Three days after, the treatments were applied at the rate of 30 g each, while the synthetic nematicide (Carbofuran 3G) at 3 g/per pot. Parameters recorded were: plant height, number of leaves, fresh and dry shoot weights, fresh root weight, and number and weight of pods per plant as plant growth parameters. Number of galls, number of nematode eggs in roots and number of juveniles in soil as nematode parameters. Results obtained indicated significant differences among the treatments in most parameters recorded and compared to controls. Generally, results from air dried leaf powder of Baphia nitida and burnt leaf ash of Delonix regia were better and compared favorably with the nematicide treated plants.