Screen House and Field Investigations of Arbuscular mycorrhiza and organic fertilizer for The Control of the Root - knot Nematode, Meloidogyne incognita Infecting Cowpea in South Western, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was undertaken to determine the potential of individual and combined effects of Glomus mosseae, a mycorrhiza fungus and organic fertilizer for the management of Meloidogyne incognita, a root knot nematode infection of cowpea (IT90K-277-2) under Screen house and field conditions. The standardised method of evaluating crop germplasm for resistance to M. incognita including crop yield was employed. M. incognita caused significant reduction in the yield components of the cowpea variety both in the screen house and under field conditions. Single and combined treatments of Glomus mosseae and organic fertilizer significantly increased the pod weight, grain yield and number of pods per plant of cowpea plants as compared to nematode infected plants. Single treatments of Glomus mosseae and organic fertilizer significantly suppressed root galling; inhibited nematode reproduction and nematode population both in the screen house and under field conditions. The mixture of G. mosseae and organic fertilizer as a treatment was more effective than individual treatments in suppression of M. incognita. This study shows that G. mosseae has potential in the management of Root knot nematodes of cowpea and should be exploited with organic fertilizer serving as a viable carrier in Nigeria