Impact of microbial agents on Meloidogyne incognita management and morphogenesis of tomato

Abstract

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of certain microbial agents against Meloidogyne incognita infesting tomato plants (cv. super strain B). The treatments were the antagonistic bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus thuringiensis, the antagonistic fungus Paecilomyces lilacinus and mycorrhizal fungi Glomus intraradices and Glomus macrocarpium which were compared with the synthesis nematicides Oxamyl and Cadusafos. The Paecilomyces lilacinus product was the best treatment in suppressing the root-knot populations in the soil with (85.2%), followed by those with B. subtilis and B. thuringiensis with 82.6 and 80.5% reduction, respectively. Also, P. lilacinus increased the shoot length and fresh weight of the root system by 229.0% and 476.46%, respectively. The most effective treatment in reducing root galls and egg masses of the nematode was Oxamyl. Bacillus thuringiensis increased shoot weight and root length and was the most effective treatment. Glomus macrocarpium was the least effective treatment as galls and egg masses. Glomus macrocarpium produced the lowest increase in root length and B. subtilis the lowest increase in root fresh and dry weights.