The effect of race 1 of the root knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita on the mass production of Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus)

Root-knot nematode is one of the serious diseases of kenaf which affects its growth and biomass productivity. However, the amount of crop loss in different varieties of kenaf is not equal. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of root knot nematode on biomass production of kenaf varieties. The biomass productivity of sixteen (16) kenaf varieties was examined under four different levels of nematode inoculum. Yield productivity criteria consisted of FPM, DPM, MSM and DMSM of the plants measured 120 days after their planting. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the productivity of kenaf varieties differs both in the absence and in the presence of nematode infection. M. incognita race 1 showed that the yield productivity of all varieties tested here can be reduced. This reduction; however, varied between varieties. When challenged with RKN, cultivars 113 and Tainang1 were found to be quite promising cultivars with maximum FPM and DPM production, respectively. Varieties G4 (Kelantan) and G4 (AUST) were also found to be at the two extremes of MSM and DMSM when infected with nematodes. Based on our results, it can be concluded that in the presence of RKN, cultivars 113, Tainang1, G4 (Kelantan) and G4 (AUST) are very promising kenaf cultivars showing potential biomass production of FPM, DPM, MSM and DMSM, respectively. It was also found that the resistant cultivar outperformed the susceptible cultivar for all of these four parameters at harvest time.