Ononuju C. C., Ekeoma P., Orikara C. C. and Ikwunagu E. A.
An experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of some pesticides in the control of Root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne spp) on Telfairia occidentalis. The experiment was located at the green house of the College of Crop and Soil Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria. The pot experiment consisted of six treatments replicated five times and laid out in Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Each pot was inoculated with 2000 nematode eggs. The treatments used included Termidust, Worm Force, Carbofuran and Basudyne. Nematode alone and Uninoculated pots (No nematode) were used as control. Data were collected on the individual plants on number of galls, nematode eggs in the root, nematode larva in the soil, plant height, fresh weight of shoots, number of leaves, length of root and fresh weight of root. Results obtained showed that the number of galls, eggs in the roots and nematode larva in soil were drastically reduced as a result of the treatments application. However, no significant differences (P<0.05) were observed 8 weeks after on the number of leaves, fresh weight of root (g) and length of roots. Generally, Termidust and Basudyne performed better than the other treatments and they could replace Carbofuran which farmers always apply.
