Hatching induction of Globodera spp. cysts isolated from soils planted with potato

Abstract

Potato cyst nematodes (Globodera spp.) are sedentary endoparasites that have continuously reduced the production of potatoes worldwide especially in potato growing regions causing severe losses though they have infested other solanaceous plants and they have become quarantine pests due to their devastating effects. In this study, the specific objectives were to assess the effect of root exudates collected from selected Solanaceae plants on inducing hatching of juvenile nematodes from cysts isolated from soils grown to potatoes and to assess the effect of age of selected solanaceous plants on inducing hatching of juvenile nematodes from cysts. Plant materials used were majorly root exudates extracted from grown selected solanaceous plants and cysts extracted from dried soil. The treatment used was the root exudates of the selected solanaceous plants which included potato, tomato, eggplant, green pepper, Sodom apple, African eggplant and black night shade. Collected data was on the number of juveniles that hatched out of the eggs for each week (from week 1-5). The quantitative data obtained from microscopy was subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using R software to check for the differences in hatching induction among different selected solanaceous plants of different age (from week 1-5). From the results obtained, week one showed no significant difference in hatching induction of juvenile nematodes however, the subsequent weeks showed significant difference in hatching induction of juvenile nematodes with potato having the highest hatching rate of juveniles for all the weeks. Potato being the most suitable host for the potato cyst nematodes induced the highest hatching rate in comparison with the other plants in terms of age and even type of solanaceous plant.