INTERACTION OF Meloidogyne incognita AND Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum Snyder and Hansen ON GROWTH, YIELD AND WILT SEVERITY ON TWO OKRA (Abelmoschus esculentus) VARIETIES

ABSTRACT 

The interaction of the fungus, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum and the nematode, Meloidogyne incognita on wilt disease on „Essoumtem‟ and Clemson spineless was examined in pot and field experiments from September, 2016 to June, 2017 in the University of Ghana farms. The fungus used for inoculation of four weeks old „Essoumtem‟ and Clemson spineless seedlings for pot experiment and one week old „Essoumtem‟ and Clemson spineless seedlings for field experiment was confirmed as Fusarium oxysporum and the nematode was confirmed as Meloidogyne incognita. The individual, simultaneous and sequential inoculation of second stage juveniles (at 1000 J2/kg soil) of Meloidogyne incognita and Fusarium oxysporum (1.1 x 106 cells/kg soil) resulted in significant suppressed plant growth parameters viz., plant height, plant girth, chlorophyll content, fresh and dry shoot weight and fresh and dry root weight. Maximum suppression in plant growth parameters were observed on plants that received NF21 and F21 treatments for pot and field experiments respectively. The least suppression of plant growth parameters was observed in separate inoculations of the two pathogens for both pot and field experiments. Maximum suppression in yield parameters was observed in plants that received NF21 and F21 treatments for pot and field experiments respectively. Minimal yield suppression was observed for individual inoculations (N and F treatments) in both pot and field experiments. M. incognita reproduction, as reflected by number of galls/root and eggs in root system, was least in plants inoculated with NF21 treatment and highest for plants inoculated with NF7 on both „Essoumtem‟ and Clemson spineless for pot experiment. Again, M. incognita reproduction was least in plants inoculated with F21 treatment and highest for plants inoculated with F7 on „Essoumtem‟ and Clemson spineless for field experiments.  The highest severity of wilt disease was observed on plants that received NF21 and F21 treatment in both pot and field experiment.