Salt suppression of Meloidogyne javanica on tomato

Abstract

The influence of ammonium chloride, potassium nitrate and sodium chloride, and inoculation with the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne javanica, were evaluated at two levels of electrical conductivity (EC, 4 and 8) in two tomato cultivars (GS12, root-knot susceptible, and Asala, root-knot resistant). Ammonium chloride was more effective than potassium nitrate at both ECs in causing mortality of second-stage juveniles and reducing nematode reproduction (eggs/g fresh root) and root galling. Sodium chloride and potassium nitrate caused significantly greater reductions of shoot and root fresh weights of tomato than ammonium chloride. Thus, ammonium chloride could perhaps be used as an effective and environmentally acceptable control option for M. javanica on tomato.