Evaluation of two species of water ferns, Azolla caroliniana and A. Pinnata as soil amendments against Meloidogyne javanica infecting tomato in Egypt

Under greenhouse conditions 25±5°C, the effect of two Azolla species, Azolla caroliniana and A. pinnata on controlling Meloidogyne javanica was determined as dried soil amendments. The treatments were applied at the rates 25 and 50 gm of dry materials of each species / pot. Application of A. caroliniana and A. pinnata significantly (P = 0.05 and or 0.01 levels) succeeded in reducing the development and reproduction of M. javanica and also significantly (P = 0.05 and or 0.01 levels) improved tomato growth when compared with those of the check. Application of A. pinnata species was significantly (P = 0.05 and or 0.01 levels) reducing number of nematode stages based on galls, egg-masses, females, developmental stages in roots, as well as, number of juveniles in soil per plant at both rates as compared with A. caroliniana did. Also, the growth of tomato plants was affected due to the application of azolla. Addition of azolla to the plant soil caused remarkable increase in the tomato growth. The higher dose of each azolla species was significantly (P = 0.05 and or 0.01 levels) more effective than the lower one. However, impact of dry materials of A. pinnata resulted in increasing the plant growth much more than A. caroliniana did.

Keywords:

Azolla caroliniana , Meloidogyne javanica , Tomato growth