EVALUATION THE ACTIVITY OF HIRSUTELLA SP. FUNGUS AND THE NEMATICIDE VEROX TO CONTROL ROOT KNOTS NEMATODE MELOIDOGYNE SPP. ON FIG SEEDLINGS

Abstract

This study was conducted in the plastic house of the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences at the University of Baghdad to evaluate the activity of Hirsutella sp. fungus and Nematode Verox against Meloidogyne spp. causative agent of root knots in Fig seedlings. Treatment of Meloidogyne spp. eggs with Hirsutella sp. at 20ml/L and with Verox at 2g/L caused significant inhibition in eggs hatching after 3,5 and 7 d. The number of non- hatching eggs were 96.70, 54.00and 29.30 eggs respectively in petri plates treated with Hirsutella sp., 106.70, 60.00and 46.00 eggs respectively in petri plates treated with Verox compared with 116.70, 111.00and96.00 eggs respectively in control. The treatment caused significant inhibition of juvenile-2 at the same periods. The number of juvenile-2 were 123.30, 114.00and 109.30 petri plates treated with Hirsutella sp at 20ml/L110.00, 63.00 and 26.70 in seedlings treated with Verox at 2g/L compared with 136.70, 132.00and120.00 in control after 3,5 and 7 d respectively. High significant reduction in root knots index and disease severity were observed in seedlings treated with Hirsutella sp. and Verox, 2.00 and 1.33% compared with 3.33 and 3.32% in control respectively. Significant increase in Phenylalanine Ammonia– Lyase and Chitinase activity induced in Fig seedling treated with Hirsutella sp. and Verox. PAL activity attained to 17.43and19.23 and 18.85 mg cinnamic acid/h/g fresh weight in seedlings treated with Hirsutella sp.16.76, 18.56and 18.05 mg cinnamic acid/ h /g fresh weight in seedlings treated with Verox compared with 15.30, 17.13and 15.74 mg cinnamic acid /h/g fresh weight in control after 3,5and 7 d respectively. The treatment induced significant increase in nitrogen and potassium in the leaves, Nitrogen and potassium percentage were attained to 7.619% and 2.120% in seedling treated with Hirsutella sp. 3.558%and 2.080% in seedlings treated with Verox compared with 2.858% and 1.820% in control respectively. Significant increase in leaf area and in seedlings height were observed in treated seedlings, 157.467 cm²and2.667 cm in seedling treated with Hirsutella sp, 134.687 cm2and 3.837 cm in seedlings treated with Verox compared with 105.883 cm2and 0.662 cm in control respectively. The treatment of Fig seedlings with Hirsutella sp and Verox induced significant increase in leaf chlorophyll content, foliage fresh weight, root fresh weight, foliage dry weight that attained to 37.17, 44.67, 60.63, 16.90 and 17.2ag respectively in Seedlings treated with Hirsutella sp, 35.83 , 44.33 , 52.50, 14.63 and 19.20g respectively in seedling treated with Verox, compared with 30.90, 28.57, 39.00 ,11.63 and 12.07g in control respectively.