Thesis (M.Sc. Agriculture (Soil Science)) -- University of Limpopo, 2019 / Nutritional water productivity (NWP) is an assessment tool, which describes the
amount of water that has been used to produce selected mineral malnutrition (MMN)
elements and micronutrient malnutrition (MNMN) substances. Therefore, it links
agricultural production to human nutrition. Deficiencies in MMN elements and/or
MNMN substances in human nutrition referred to as malnutrition, had been linked
with fatal diseases. Agricultural soils could be affected by soil-borne pathogens such
as plant-parasitic nematodes, which could limit the availability of MMN elements and
MNMN substances. In some communities, vegetable crops, including chilli are
regarded as a major source of MMN elements and MNMN substances. Effects of
root-knot (Meloidogyne species) nematodes on NWP of chilli (Capsicum annuum L.)
have not been documented. The objective of the study was to determine the effects
of increasing population densities of M. incognita race 2 and M. javanica on the NWP
of hot chilli plants. A microplot trial was conducted at the Green Biotechnologies
Research Centre of Excellence (GBRCE), University of Limpopo, South Africa. Pots
were filled with 10-L steam-pasteurised (300oC) sandy clay loam soil sourced from
GBRCE and Hygromix-T (Hygrotech, Pretoria North) growth medium in the ratio 3:1
(v/v). Thereafter, three-week-old hot chilli cv. 'Serrano' seedlings were transplanted
into each pot, with inoculum prepared by extracting eggs and second-stage juveniles
(J2) of M. incognita race 2 and M. javanica from roots of grown nematode
susceptible tomato cv. 'Floradade' (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in a 1% NaOCl
solution. Fourteen days after transplanting, treatments 0, 50, 125, 250, 625, 1250
and 2000 eggs and second-stage juveniles (J2) of M. incognita race 2 and M.
javanica were separately inoculated using a 20 ml plastic syringe into 5-cm-deep
holes in pots. At 56 days after the initiation of the treatments, Meloidogyne species
xiv
decreased soil pH and increased organic carbon, contributing 29 and 43% in total
treatment variation (TTV) of the respective variables. Treatment effects caused the
pH to decrease. NWP variables against increasing nematode numbers exhibited
quadratic relations, with coefficients of determination ranging from 59 to 86% for M.
incognita race 2 trial and 80 to 98% for M. javanica trial. Meloidogyne species
population densities against plant variables did not show any significant relationship,
except for root galling and chlorophyll content where treatments contributed 76, 98
and 47% TTV of the respective variables. Generally, root galling increased with
increase in Meloidogyne species population densities, whereas chlorophyll content
decreased with increasing inoculum levels. Nematode variables against their
increasing population exhibited quadratic relationship with the model explained by 44
to 95% for M. incognita race 2 and 28 to 82%, association, respectively for M.
javanica. In conclusion, Meloidogyne species interfered with NWP of mineral
elements in chilli plant and therefore, nematode management practices should be
done to reduce the nematode population densities that would confer quality to
agricultural produce for human health benefits.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ul/oai:ulspace.ul.ac.za:10386/3168 |
| Date | January 2019 |
| Creators | Ramputla, Mogwale Janet |
| Contributors | Mashela, P. W., Dlamini, P. E. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | xiv, 63 leaves |
| Relation | Adobe Acrobat Reader |
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