Investigations on the effects of solarization and synergic use of some other treatments against root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) in organic tomato growing

This study was conducted to determine whether or not the soil solarization alone and the combined usage of soil solarization green manure or grafted plants could be beneficial in reducing root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) infection in organic tomato production. With this purposes, this study was conducted during 2009 and 2010 autumn seasons according to randomized block design with four replicates and ten characters in the Izmir (Torbali) greenhouse. The material of this trial were consisted of the individuals of root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita and Meloidogyne javanica) in greenhouse, tomato plants of cultivar as Gokce grafted on Beaufort or as ungrafted, epigeous parts of Brassica olerace var. italica L. (Cruciferae) and the transparent polyethylene film. The trial characters were consisted of the positive control (1), nematicide (2), grafted seedlings known as resistant roots stocks against to RKN (3), epigeous parts of broccoli plants which has nematicidal effects (4), soil solarization with two different duration (4-8 weeks) (5-6) and the combination of the broccoli plants or grafted seedlings together with these two soil solarization (7-10). In conclusion, the lowest gall index values were determined in solarization (8 weeks) (0.00 and 0.00) and in solarization+broccoli (0.23 and 0.00), respectively in both years. In terms of the numbers of second stage juvenile of RKN in the soil at the end of trial, the least numbers of were determined in the soils of 4 weeks' solarization+broccoli (0.00) or 8 weeks' solarization+broccoli (0.00) in 2009; 8 weeks' solarization (0.00) or 8 weeks' solarization+grafted seedlings (0.00) in 2010. The highest yield value was obtained from 4 weeks' solarization+broccoli (9.51 kg/m(2)) in 2009; 4 weeks' solarization+grafted seedlings (7.80 kg/m(2)) in 2009. Finally, 4 or 8 weeks' solarization with broccoli or grafted seedlings could be suggested as an efficient alternative control strategy against root-knot nematodes in organic tomatoes growing.