THE HOST STATUS OF SOME COMMERCIAL POTATO CULTIVARS AND LOCAL GENOTYPES TO MELOIDOGYNE INCOGNITA INFECTION

Abstract

Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) can cause significant yield losses depending on the species in the Potato.The objectives of this study were thus to examine the host status of the commercially cultivated some cultivars in Turkey and regionally cultivated potato genotypes in Ordu province to the most common species Meloidogyne incognita present in the production areas. For this purpose, local genotypes Kadıoglu, Aybastı beyazı and Aybastı sarısı, commercially produced Agria, Melody, Nectar varieties were selected. Each potato cultivars and genotypes were planted in 1lt plastic pots filled with sand, soil and organic matter (1:1:1). Ten days after emergence, each pote was inoculated with approximately 250 infective scond stage juveniles (IJ2) by pipetting 2 ml of a water suspension containing the IJ2 onto the root system of each seedling. The experiment was conducted under greenhouse conditions at temperature of 25±2 °C and a 16:8 h light-dark photoperiod. Every two day after inoculation, two pots potato seedlings were removed from each cultivar and genotype pots. Root systems were stained with fuchsin acid. The number of nematodes that remained inside the roots and soil were counted. After inoculation 4th days, IJs were seemed entered inside the roots in all cultivars and genotypes. At the end of the 14-days period, differentiated larval stages and mature female individuals were encountered in the all root tissue. This implies that M. incognita reproduced well in all potato cultivars and local genotypes tested. The results of the study showed that; all potato cultivars and genotypes are a suitable host for M. incognita to feed on and complete its development