Population Fluctuation of Meloidogyne incognita Infecting Cucumber in Poly-house

Abstract

Population fluctuations of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita during crop season were studied on cucumber in two poly-houses of different locations. For the observations plant and soil samples were taken at fifteen days intervals throughout the crop season up to 120 days. Results showed that lowest 2.60 and highest 74.00 galls/5g roots of cucumber found at 15 and 120 days after sowing. No egg masses observed just 15 days after sowing of crops due to root-knot nematode complete their entire life cycle within 25 to 30 days. While, maximum 63.70 egg masses/5 g roots produced 120 days after sowing. The maximum 317.40 and minimum 264.20 eggs and larvae per egg mass was observed at 30 and 120 days after sowing in cucumber It was observed that egg mass contain found maximum when the population level is lowest and the egg mass contained reduced with increasing in the population of root-knot nematodes. Results also showed that minimum 1347.90 and maximum 2256.90 juveniles per 100 cc soil was found at 15 and 120 days after sowing of cucumber in poly-house.

Estimation of avoidable losses caused by Meloidogyne incognita infecting cucumber in poly-house

“…Due to favourable environmental conditions in Poly-houses or Protected cultivation, multiplication of insect pest and pathogens including plant parasitic nematodes are very high and significantly reduce the quantity and quality of production observed by Ismail et al (2012); Bhati and Baheti (2020)a. Plant parasitic nematodes viz.…”

“…are conjoined with vegetable crops in India. Among these nematodes, Meloidogyne incognita known as root-knot nematodes are most important and causing great damage to crops grown under poly-houses including cucumber reported by Rao et al (2015); Bhati and Baheti (2020) Kumar et al (2020). It is a major biological factor for reduced crop production under protected cultivation throughout world and conjoined with most of economically potential crops including vegetables.…”