Sustainable control methods against root-knot nematodes in greenhouses of Italy and R. Moldova

Abstract

A greenhouse experiment was undertaken to verify the suppressive potential of three composts on the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita on tomato, as related to the soil content of organic matter and ammoniacal nitrogen. Three different composts (C1 = 72% fresh olive pomace + 17% straw and sawdust + 11% wool; C2 = 60% grass + 30 % pruning residues + 10% soil; C3 = 30% sewage sludge + 70% city green residues) were added at the rates of 1.0, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 % w/w to a sandy soil infested by M. incognita (15 eggs and juveniles/ ml soil). Root knot nematode populations and tomato root infestation were significantly suppressed by the addition of all composts, compared to the untreated control. No significant difference resulted among the different doses, although the nematicidal effect was stronger at the highest rate.