Reaction of Dioscorea alata clones to plant parasitic nematodes infection

Abstract

Preliminary investigations of the potentials of five clones of water yam, Dioscorea alata to resist plant parasitic nematodes infection was conducted at two locations during 2010. TDa 01/0004, TDa 01/00029, TDa 00/0003, TDa 01/00046 and a local check Matches were planted on ridges in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times at Fumesua and Ejura. Nematode population density/200 cm3 soil at harvest, tuber galling and yield of yam were analyzed. At harvest at Fumesua, Matches was heavily infected with J2 Meloidogyne spp. (202 /200 cm3) soil. However, TDa 01/00029 significantly (P=0.05) inhibited infection of the pest (14 /200 cm3) soil. At Ejura TDa 01/0004 was not infected by Tylenchulus semipenetrans whilst infection of the pest on the local check Matches was significant (162/200 cm3) soil. Tuber galling symptom was identified only on the tubers of the local check at both locations. TDa 01/00046 yielded the highest 42.6 t/ha and 4 t/ha whilst TDa 01/00029 yielded the lowest 25.9 t /ha and 2.1 t/ha at Fumesua and Ejura respectively. Late planting of yam and use of exhausted land at Ejura might have accounted for the significantly low yields. TDa 01/00046 out-yielded TDa 01/00029 by 39% and approximately 48% at Fumesua and Ejura respectively.