Screenhouse Assessment of Reaction of Fluted Pumpkin, Telfairia Occidentalis Hook F. to Root-Knot Nematode Meloidogyne Incognita

Screenhouse studies were carried out between April – June and July – September, 2004 at the vegetable researchunit of National HorticulturalResearch Institute (NIHORT), Ibadan,Nigeria to investigate the reaction of five linesof Telfairia occidentalis (EN2000-4, EN2000-6, EN2000-10, EN2000-11, EN2000-13) to different populationlevels (0, 5000 and 10 000 eggs) of Meloidogyne incognita race 2. Seeds from five different matured pods ofTelfairia lines were planted on moist sawdust medium. They were watered every two days until germination andtransplanting. Experimental layout was a completely randomized design and each treatment was replicated fivetimes. Nematode inoculation was done at one week after transplanting. The plants were watered every two daysand observation of vine length, vine girth and number of leaves commenced two weeks after transplanting (WAT)on bi weekly basis and lasted till the 10th week. From the 4th WAT, roots were assessed for the presence of eggsevery five days in view of determining the generation time in the various lines. Soil nematode population and rootgall indices were determined at the end of the trial.Results showed that there were significant differences between the Telfairia lines in the measured parametersirrespective of the inoculum levels. EN2000-4 performed significantly better than the other lines. EN2000-13which closely followed EN2000-4 with respect to vegetative growth, recorded significantly higher galling indexthan all the other lines. There were significant differences between the inoculum levels. Inoculum levels wereinversely proportional to growth parameters and directly proportional to gall indices in all the lines. Chloroticpatches were also observed on the leaves of plants inoculated with 10 000 eggs. The uninoculated (control) plantsgave significantly better vegetative growth than their inoculated counterparts. The disparities in growth and yieldresponses indicate that there is genetic variability among the lines.