Pathogenicity Study of Meloidogyne incognita on five different Yam Cultivars in Screen House and Field in Kogi State, Nigeria

Pathogenicity Study of Meloidogyne incognita on five different Yam Cultivars in Screen House and Field in Kogi State, Nigeria

³Abolusoro, S.A; ¹Hinmikaiye, A.S; ²Balogun, O.S; ²Izuogu, N.B & ¹Ogundare, S.K; ³Ige S.A

¹Kabba College of Agriculture, Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, Nigeria

²Department of Crop Protection, University of Ilorin, Ilorin Nigeria

 ³Department of Crop Science, Land Mark University Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria

Corresponding Author

ABSTRACT:

The research was conducted to determine the pathogenicity of root- knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita on five different yam cultivars in the screenhouse/field in Kabba College of Agriculture Kogi State, Nigeria. Kabba College of Agriculture is located in the Southern Guinea Savannah Agroecological Zone of Nigeria of Latitude 07⁰ 53N, 06⁰08E. Kabba has average rainfall of 1570mm, temperature ranges between 18^0C – 32^0C. It also has the mean relative humidity (R.H) of about 59% and four hundred and twenty seven metres (427m) above the sea level, according to Kabba College of Agriculture Metereological station, field survey (2014).  In screenhouse and field, during the 2014 and 2015 seasons, four organic material treatments (powders of Jatropha curcas, Ocimum gratissimum, Chromolaena odorata and the control) were factorially combined with the five yam varieties and inoculation regimes of Meloidogyne incognita. The cultivars used as test crops are Okunmodo, Kerege and Sebukere as (white yam). Ewura (Water yam) and Olo (Yellow yam). The plant parasitic nematode caused stunted growth, galling of root of tuber and chlorosis on the white yam, water yam and yellow yam. The result of this research shows that white yam is susceptible to M. incognita, while water yam and yellow yam cultivars proved to be fairly resistant to M. incognita. The results further shows Meloidogyne incognita in screenhouse and field experiments significantly affected yam growth and yield. All the botanicals, powdered leaf of Jatropha curcas, Ocimum gratissimum and Chromolaena odorata had significant bio- pesticidal effect on M. incognita as they caused reduction in population both in the screenhouse and field experiments compared to the unamended plants (control). It is therefore advised that yam growers should not plant white yam cultivars on plant parasitic nematode endemic areas.                       

Keywords: Nematode, yield, Jatropha, Chromolaena, Ocimum, yam, Meloidogyne incognita