Evaluation of Nematicidal Activity of Fluensulfone against Meloidogyne incognita in Bell Pepper Crop
José Alonso Calvo- Araya *
Escuela de Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica, Apartado 86-3000, Heredia, Costa Rica.
Nery Zapata- Montes
Departamento de Fitotecnia, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Carretera México-Texcoco, Km 38.5. Texcoco Estado de México, C.P 56230, México.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The evaluation of nematicidal activity of the non- fumigant nematicide (fluensulfone) was evaluated for the control of the root-knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita in bell pepper crop (Capsicum annuum L.) under field conditions. The experiment was set up under a randomized complete block design with four replications. Six treatments were assessed for control of M. incognita: four doses of fluensulfone, one of the nematicide oxamyl and a control without application of nematicides. Ten days before transplanting, nematicides were applied in a single application via irrigation systems. The lowest final population densities of M. incognita in bell pepper crop were recorded in plots treated with fluensulfone at the dose of 2.75 L.ha-1, with an average of 25 juveniles. The higher percentage of efficacy was obtained with the application of fluensulfone at a dose of 2.75 L.ha-1. Fluensulfone showed a more efficient nematicidal activity as compared with oxamyl, which is the most used nematicide in horticultural crops in Mexico. Our results indicated that fluensulfone can be used as an alternative nematicide for the control of M. incognita in horticultural crops.
Keywords: Bell pepper, root-knot nematode, fluensulfone, field conditions