Effect of cabbage (brassica oleracea) leaf residue as a biofumigant, on root knot nematode, meloidogyne incognita infecting tomato

Abstract

Under greenhouse conditions, crushed cabbage leaves (Brassica oleracea) were incorporated into the soil at different rates (2.5, 5 and 10g per pot), 10 days before transplanting tomato cv. Super Strain B. The crushed leaves were mixed in with the soil at different interval times (5 g at transplanting, and 5 and 10 days before transplanting) for managing root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita. Results indicated that adding different rates of crushed cabbage leaves significantly (p ≤ 0.05) affected nematode criteria. The higher the rate of residue, the higher the percentage of nematode reduction. Adding a moderate rate (5 g) of crushed cabbage leaves reduced nematode criteria according to the time the leaves were added before transplanting. There was a negative correlation between the time of the addition and the percentage of nematode reduction. Also plant growth criteria improved according to the tested rates and the time the leaves were added.