Harnessing phosphocompost extracts to mitigate Meloidogyne javanica impacts on tomato

Abstract

This study evaluated the chemical properties of phosphocompost extracts and their effectiveness in inducing tomato seedlings resistance to Meloidogyne javanica. Phosphocomposts: Sugar beet phosphocompost (PC-SB: CP2), green waste phosphocompost (PC-GW: CP3), and olive mill waste phosphocompost (PC-OMW: CP4), were utilized to produce compost water extracts at concentrations of 1:5, 1:10, 1:20, and 1:100 g:mL and then applied as soil drenches for tomato seedlings one-week post-inoculation. The CP2 extract applied at a 1:5 dilution led to marked improvements in growth parameters, with plant height increasing by over 52.2%, shoot fresh biomass rising by approximately 52.44%, and shoot dry biomass showing a gain of 62.21%. Root biomass also rose by 33%. Chlorophyll a increased with CP4 at 1:5 and 1:100 (41.05% and 37.32%), chlorophyll b increased with CP3 at 1:5 and 1:10 (22.34% and 7.59%), while carotenes showed no variation. Polyphenols rose by 86.45-91.01% with CP2 from 1:5 to 1:20, and flavonoids increased by 64.90% with CP4 at 1:10. CP2 diminished the ultimate M. javanica population and reproduction factor by 171.43%, while CP4 at 1:20 decreased egg masses by 151.94%. The root gall index showed no variation. The chemical composition of phosphocomposts revealed that the strategic incorporation of diverse organic improvers (10%) in phosphocomposts yielded distinct nutrient signatures, with sugar beet waste enhancing PO43- (12.91 mg/L) and secondary macronutrients, green waste optimizing NO3- (69.91 mg/L) and SO42- (62.70 mg/L) availability, and olive mill waste producing superior micronutrient concentrations alongside dominant Ca (24.21 mg/L), K (392.50 mg/L), and P (9.17 mg/L) levels. Overall, the results underscore the potential of phosphocompost extracts as a viable, low-cost, and eco-friendly alternative to synthetic nematicides, offering a sustainable and resilient approach to M. javanica control while enhancing tomato plant growth