EFFECT OF BIOCHAR AMENDMENT RATES AND BIO- NEMATICIDE ON GROWTH, YIELD AND ROOT-KNOT NEMATODES (MELOIDOGYNE SPP.) INFESTATION OF TOMATO (SOLANUM LYCOPERSICUM L.)

Pot and field experiments were conducted at the Nyankpala Campus of University for Development Studies from January 2020 to March 2022. The objective was to test the efficacy of peptide-based nematicide (Nemanol) and its concentration on root-knot nematodes and growth and yield of tomato in biochar amended soil. In experiment 1, the treatments which were applied in a completely randomised design (CRD) with three replications were; Soil with no biochar and no nematicide (T1), Soil with 5 ml of peptide with no biochar (T2), Soil with 1% biochar and 5 ml peptide (T3), Soil with 3% biochar and 5 ml peptide (T4) and Soil with 5 % biochar and 5 ml peptide (T5). In experiment 2, the treatments which were applied in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications were; Soil with no biochar and no nematicide (T1), Soil with 20 ml of peptide but no biochar (T2), Soil with 20 ml of peptide with biochar 2 t/ha (T3), Soil with 20 ml peptide with biochar at 4 t/ha (T4) and Soil with 20 ml peptide with biochar 6 t/ha (T5). In experiment 3, the effect of different rates of Nemanol (0 ml, 15 ml, 20 ml and 25 ml) on RKN was assessed with tomato as the test crop. The results of experiment 1 and 2 showed that, biochar applied at low rates (1%, 3%, 2t/ha) significantly enhanced the effectiveness of the Nemanol against RKN and promoted the growth, development and yield of tomato. Results of the experiment 3 showed that the application of 20 ml of Nemanol was the best since it was able to control the root-knot nematodes and promoted the growth of the tomato plants. These experiments have demonstrated that lower rates of biochar enhanced the effectiveness of Nemanol against RKN and promoted the performance of tomato. The application of 20 ml of the Nemanol per plant was also more effective than the other rates. Therefore, it is recommended that the Nemanol be tested on farm for validation of the results presented in this thesis.