Use of organic amendment in the management of root-knot nematode in lettuce

Abstract

Root-knot nematodes, Meloidogyne spp., are among the most important parasites of lettuce crop. The management of these organisms is difficult due to limitations in genetic and chemical control, and, thus, new practices should be sought to reduce their reproduction. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the application of different organic amendments in the control of Meloidogyne incognita in lettuce. At first, the nematode was inoculated on tomato plant to establish an initial population in the soil. After 60 days, the aerial part was discarded, and the lettuce seedlings were transplanted to pots. Two days after transplant, the treatments bokashi, crambe cake, whey protein, cottonseed composted and shredded wood chip composted were applied using water as control treatment. After 70 days, it was found that the bokashi and crambe meal treatments reduced the number of eggs/g of the root and promoted plant growth. The results obtained with the other treatments did not differ from those obtained with the control treatment for the parameters studied.