Root-knot nematodes on tomatoes in Kyenjojo and Masaka districts in Uganda

Abstract

In Uganda and elsewhere in the world, tomato is an economically important vegetable and a good source of vitamins A and C. Being an important horticultural crop, its production is threatened by root-knot nematode infections that make plants susceptible to wilting, growth reduction and infection by other pathogens like bacteria and fungi. Identifying the root-knot nematode species on the crop is paramount in designing proper management strategies especially crop rotation and resistance. In this study, tomato roots infected with Meloidogyne spp. were collected from fields in Kyenjojo and Masaka districts in Uganda. Using perineal patterns and molecular diagnostics, the three most common Meloidogyne species were identified. Meloidogyne javanica omit and was the most common followed by Meloidogyne arenaria and Meloidogyne incognita.\tKey words: Identification, root-knot nematodes, tomatoes, Uganda.