Biological products in association with organic matter to control Meloidogyne javanica in tomato

Root-knot nematodes are responsible for significant tomato production losses and require taking integrated control measures. The aim of the current study is to evaluate the association between biological control and organic matter sources to Meloidogyne javanica control in tomato. In order to do so, two experiments were carried out under greenhouse conditions, in two different periods. Tomato plants were transplanted to pots and inoculated with 2,000 M. javanica eggs. Plants were treated with either Nem-Out (TM) or Compost-Aide biological control products, which were individually applied or in association with organic wastes such as poultry litter, filter cake, rice hull and coffee hull. Nematological and vegetative parameters were evaluated 60 days later. The treatments, except for Nem-Our (TM) + poultry litter and Compost-Aid (R) + poultry litter, were efficient in reducing the number of galls. Treatment with Nem-Our (TM) + filter cake presented 83% gall reduction, whereas Compost-Aid (R) + filter cake presented 98.5% reduction. The associations between Nem-Out- + poultry litter and Compost-Aid (R) + poultry litter did reduce the number of nematodes gl of root. Reduction in this parameter were observed for all others treatments, mainly when there was association between biological control (both, Nem-Out- and Compost-Aid (R)) and organic wastes; the treatment with Nem-Our (TM) + coffee hull reduced by 96% the number of nematodes gi of root, whereas the one with Compost-Aid (R) + filter cake reduced it by 97%. Most of the treatments have positively influenced the vegetative variables in comparison to the inoculated control.