Effects of chicken manure and summer ploughing on root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) management in cantaloupe (Cucumis melo var. cantalupensis)

Abstract

A 2-year trial was performed in two regions of Ardestan (Iran, Isfahan province) to investigate effects of chicken manure and summer ploughing on root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) in two infested cantaloupe fields. Before planting cantaloupe, summer ploughing and chicken manure (3, 6 and 9 T/ha) separately and combination of these treatments were applied in nematode-infested fields. At the harvest time, the number of galls, egg masses, gall and egg mass indices and multiplication rate were determined. Also, quantitative and qualitative parameters of cantaloupes in different treatments were evaluated. The results revealed that double summer ploughing in combination with 6 T/ha chicken manure treatments had the best effects on the control of M. javanica. By applying this treatment, reduction of the egg mass number, gall number, total population in root and soil and reproduction factor were observed 17, 6.75, 8591 g/root and 3.37 g/root, respectively (compared to control: 132.5, 36.87, 45037 g/root and 23.13, respectively). It also had positive effect on fruit weigh (28 vs. 18.25 kg) and root dry weight (3.8 vs. 2.08 g). According to the results, it seems that decrease in growth parameters and yield reduction due to root-knot nematode could be overcome by incorporation of summer ploughing and applying the chicken manure with the most efficacy in increasing the quantity and quality of the yield.

Keywords:

• Chicken manure
• ploughing
• root-knot nematode
• cantaloupe

Acknowledgements

We thank our colleagues; Hassan Almasi, Ali Farhadi and Mojtaba Yahya Abadi; from Isfahan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Iran, Zahra Tanha Maafi and Seyed Abbas Hosseininejad from Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Tehran, Iran for their collaborations.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Funding was provided by Iranian Research Institute of Plant Protection, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Tehran, Iran.