Botanical Suppression of the Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne Incognita) in Sugar Beet using Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Powders as Soil Amendments
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This study evaluated the field efficacy of four botanical powders, Azadirachta indica, Allium sativum, Quassia amara, and Thymus vulgaris, applied at 5, 10, and 15kg/feddan against Meloidogyne incognita in sugar beet over two successive seasons (2024/2025 and 2025/2026). Their effects on nematode population parameters, plant growth, yield-related traits, and quality were assessed. All botanical treatments reduced nematode populations compared with the control. A. sativum showed the highest overall suppression, reducing soil second-stage juveniles (J2s), immature stages, females, final nematode population (Pf), and reproduction factor (Rf) by 50.00%, 52.16%, 50.84%, 50.50%, and 50.50%, respectively. A. indica ranked second with reductions ranging from 44.40% to 49.18%, while T. vulgaris and Q. amara were less effective. Increasing the application rate from 5 to 15 kg/feddan generally enhanced nematode suppression. Botanical treatments significantly improved several growth, yield-related, and quality traits compared with the control. A. sativum recorded the highest mean values for shoot length (44.89 cm), root length (44.00cm), fresh shoot weight (992.22 g/plant), fresh root weight (2603.33 g/plant), dry shoot weight (378.33 g/plant), total soluble solids (21.89%), sucrose content (18.27%), and purity (83.45%). Regarding yield, the application of A. sativum at 15 kg/feddan resulted in the highest root yield (26.40 ton/feddan) and sugar yield (5.16 ton/feddan), followed by A. indica, which recorded root and sugar yields of 25.13 and 4.69ton/feddan, respectively. The 15kg/feddan rate generally produced the best results. Overall, botanical powders, particularly garlic and neem, showed promising potential as environmentally compatible components of integrated management strategies against M. incognita in sugar beet.
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDGs: Zero hunger, Life on land
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7222897058