Effect of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and Meloidogyne incognita interaction on wilt disease incidence in tomato

Abstract

Development of diseases in cultivated crops depends on the complex inter-relationship between host, pathogen and prevailing environmental conditions. The significant role of nematodes in the development of nematode–fungus interaction is demonstrated in many crops throughout the world. Therefore, the main objectives of this study were to evaluate the interaction between Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and Meloidogyne incognita. The experiment was laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications in pot conditions. The results show that inoculation of nematode at 7th day prior to inoculation of fungus caused maximum reduction in plant growth parameters and increase per cent disease incidence followed by simultaneous inoculation of nematode and fungus as compared to control.