Comparative Effects of Poultry Manure, Cow Dung, an d Carbofuran on Yield of Meloidogyne incognita- Infested Okra

Abstract

The effects of poultry manure and cow dung in compa rison with the nematicide, carbofuran on the yield of okra infested with root- knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita Race 2 were investigated. Two plots of 17×11 m, eac h naturally infested with the mentioned nematode, were selected for the study. Tr eatments were poultry manure and cow dung each at the rates of 5 and 10 t ha -1 , carbofuran 3G at the rates of 1.5 and 3.0 kg ai ha -1 , and a control. One week after application, okra s eeds were sown at two seeds per hole and thinned to one plant, one week after plant ing. Number of pods, cumulative weight of okra pods, root gall-index, soil chemical properties, and soil nematode densities in soil were determined at the beginning and end of the study. The results showed that the highest rates of poultry manure, cow dung, and carb ofuran significantly (P ≤ 0.05) reduced root gall-index and nematode population den sity in soil and correspondingly increased fruit yield in comparison to those at low er rates and the control. The results of this study suggest that incorporation of poultry ma nure or cow dung in nematode-infested field has the potentials to suppress nematode popul ation and reduce nematode damage on okra. Keywords : Nematode population, Root gall-index, Root-knot nematode.