Application of chicken manure and summer plowing to control root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica in muskmelon, Cucumis melo var. inodorus, farms

Root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica is an economically significant plant parasitic nematode in muskmelon farms in Ardestan, Isfahan province, Iran. A two-year experiment was conducted in two muskmelon farms in this region. We assessed the application of ۳, ۶, and ۹ t/ha fresh (unrotten) chicken manure separately or in combination with summer plowing. To evaluate the efficacy of each treatment, the number of galls, egg masses, reproduction factor, plant growth factors, and yield were recorded at harvesting time. The results showed that combining double summer plowing with nine t/ha chicken manure was the most effective treatment for controlling M. javanica. Nematode population indices including: the egg mass number, gall number, total population in root and soil, and reproduction factor, were significantly lower than the control treatment. The application of double plowing with nine t/ha chicken manure treatment caused ۸۳.۵%, ۷۹.۱%, ۸۰.۲%, and ۷۸.۳% decreases in egg mass number, gall number, total population per root, and soil, and reproduction factor, respectively. Moreover, total fruit weight and root dry weight in each plot (۲۴ m۲) increased by ۸۱.۸% and ۵۰.۴% compared to the control.

Keywords:

chicken manure , plowing , muskmelon , Meloidogyne javanica