THE SUPPRESSIVE EFFECT OF SOIL AMENDMENTS WITH OLIVE RESIDUES ON MELOIDOGYNE INCOGNITA

Abstract

Ground olive leaves, fresh and exhausted pomace, raw sewage and commercial olive based product (Eufert) were incorporated at the rate of 1, 2, 4 and 8% w/w into a sandy soil naturally infested by Meloidogyne incognita (32 eggs and juveniles/g soil) in clay pots and planted with six week old seedlings of tomato cv. Rutgers. Ground olive leaves and fresh and exhausted olive pomace reduced significantly gall indices and nematode reproduction, but were highly phytotoxic. Raw sewage enhanced plant growth and Eufert produced moderate effect on the root gall index but significantly less than 300 kg c.p./ha of fenamiphos.