The Effect of Some Organic and Biological Fertilizers on Depopulation of Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne spp.) in Pomegranate

One of the most important pathogens in plants such as pomegranate, are root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) which cause considerable damage to this important export product. Due to the importance of this subject, an study has been conducted between 2018 and 2019 in the Faculty of Agriculture of Lorestan University. The treatments include organic fertilizer (40, 60, and 80 t/ha.), vermicompost (40 t/ha.) and Marygld product (200, 300 and 400 g/m2) with the study, itself, being in a completely random design on the dominant root-knot nematodes species, M. javanica under greenhouse conditions on pomegranate seedlings. The measurement indicators include gall index, the number of egg sacs, and the final population of egg and J2 larvae in the soil and the roots, as well as growth factors of pomegranate seedlings. Reproduction factor and the percentage of increase/decrease of root knot nematode population, have been calculated in each treatment compared to the initial population of the same treatment. Results show vermicompost (40 t/ha.) with 94.35% reduction in population of egg and larvae has had the highest effect on reducing the nematode population compared to other treatments. Marygld 400, 300, and 200 g/m2 treatments are ranked next, with a reduction of 93.47%, 91.21%, and 92.65% in nematode population, respectively followed by by nematode reduction of the composts of 80, 60, and 40 t/ha by 89.67%, 86.55%, and 86.81% respectively.