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ANTAGONISTIC POTENTIAL OF BACTERIAL ISOLATES ASSOCIATED WITH ENTOMOPATHOGENIC NEMATODES AGAINST TOMATO WILT CAUSED BY FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM F.SP., LYCOPERSICI UNDER GREENHOUSE CONDITIONS

M. INAM-UL-HAQ*, S.R. GOWEN, N. JAVED, ¹F. SHAHINA,²M. IZHAR-UL-HAQ, N. HUMAYOON AND B. PEMBROKE

Abstract: Three concentrations of Xenorhabdus nematophila and Xenorhabdus spp., (4x10⁵, 4x10⁶, 4x10⁷ cells/ml) were evaluated in the laboratory and in pot experiments to test their antagonistic effects on Fusarium oxysporum f.sp., lycopersici. All concentrations effectively inhibited its growth on agar plates. In soil under greenhouse conditions treatments with each bacterium at 4x10⁷ cells/ml reduced the disease incidence of tomato by up to 40.38 and 47.54% respectively and there were significant increases of plant biomass by 198 and 211% respectively. The rhizosphere population of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp., lycopersici was reduced by 97%. The Xenorhabdus spp., was comparatively more effective than X. nematophila.
 

School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, The University of Reading, Berkshire, RG6 6AR, U.K.
¹ National Nematological Research Centre, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.
² Beekeeping and Hill Fruit Pests Research Station, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
Corresponding author e-mail address: dr_iuhaq@yahoo.com