Effect of the use of plastic mulching in the integrated management of Meloidogyne spp.

© 2020 International Society for Horticultural Science. All rights reserved.Meloidogyne is a genus of phytophagous nematodes that cause great damage in many crops around the world. Its identification and control are difficult, so therefore it is important to find viable and sustainable management tools. The soil temperature affects the duration of the Meloidogyne cycle and the expression of the Mi-1 resistance gene in tomato plants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of plastic mulching as a management tool in resistant and susceptible tomato cultivars (Solanum lycopersicum L.), for the control of Meloidogyne spp. The mulching treatments were: without cover (control), white polyethylene and black polyethylene. Two resistant (experimental) and one susceptible cultivars were evaluated. The experimental design was carried out in random blocks. The trial was realized in a greenhouse, in pots with disinfected soil of sandy texture, pH: 7.1 and electrical conductivity: 2.9 dS m-1. They were inoculated with 1,200 eggs ¿ J2 of Meloidogyne javanica. The parameters measured after 60 days were: plant height, number of leaves, number of inflorescences, stem diameter at neck height, aerial and radical dry weight, number of masses of eggs root-1 (NEM), and gall index (GI). The resistant cultivars showed a low level of infestation parameters (GI, NEM) without statistical differences between mulch treatments in any of the evaluated parameters. In the susceptible cultivar, both treatments of plastic mulch presented a higher aerial dry weight than the control treatment, this difference represents a very important effect of plastic mulch treatments. Also, as expected, this cultivar showed high values of GI and NEM. It is necessary to carry out further in depth studies on the use of different treatments of mulch in resistant and susceptible to Meloidogyne spp. tomato cultivars.