Integrated application of biological and biorational strategies for effective control of the “false root-knot nematode” in tomato plants

Abstract

In the rhizosphere ecosystem, the tomato develops associated with a diversity of microorganisms and/or organisms, many of which can be beneficial or pathogenic for this plant. Plant-parasitic nematodes (PPN) produce significant economic losses in tomato crops. Nacobbus sp. is one of the most frequent and abundant PPN in Argentina. Management of this nematode through biological strategies constitutes an eco-compatible alternative to ensure the sustainability of the horticultural system. In this work, the potential of the combined application of broccoli aqueous extract (BAE—12%) and Purpureocillium lilacinum SR14 (1 × 10⁶ conidia g⁻¹) for the control of N. aberrans s.l. in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Platense) plants were evaluated. The chamber test was conducted with sterile horticultural soil, artificially infested with J2, while naturally infested horticultural soil was employed for the greenhouse test. The antagonist activities of P. lilacinum SR14, BAE and SR14 + BAE against the N. aberrans s.l. population were evaluated in the two assays. Results showed that the combined treatment (P. lilacinum SR14 + BAE) significantly reduced the PPN population, both in chamber (22%) and greenhouse (98%) grown plants. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that both strategies were compatible with each other, the host crop and the soil microbiome. Therefore, this type of agroecological practice, could be a plausible alternative to be adopted by horticultural producers in Argentina for the control of the phytonematode, N. aberrans s.l.