<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

<p>Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are important nematode pests, causing huge economic losses on vegetable crops worldwide. A decline in the yield of Swiss chard (<italic>Beta vulgaris</italic> L.) which was associated with RKNs was observed on an organic vegetable farm in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Nematodes were extracted from galled plant roots and identified using molecular tools. PCR-based Sequence Characterised Amplified Region (SCAR) primers was used to confirm the specie of the RKN associated with the infected plants. Thereafter, a pot assay was conducted to determine the response of artificially infected Swiss chard plants to varying concentrations of bio-synthesized silver nanoparticle Ag-NP (1 μg/mL, 2 μg/mL, and 3 μg/mL) under controlled conditions. The results of the study showed that Swiss chard is highly susceptible to <italic>M. javanica</italic> with an egg-laying-female index of >5 in all infected plants. Significantly lower values (at P=0.05) in egg masses (EM), juveniles (J2s), and reproduction factor (RF) of nematodes were recorded on plants treated with 3 μg/mL, indicating a potential for nematode control. A negative correlation was also observed in the number of egg masses, J2s, and RF of the nematodes with increasing concentrations of the Ag-NP. This study confirms that Swiss chard is highly susceptible to <italic>M. javanica</italic> and demonstrates the potential nematicidal property of Ag-NP in controlling the nematode pest of Swiss chard.</p>
</abstract>

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are important nematode pests, causing huge economic losses on vegetable crops worldwide. A decline in the yield of Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L.) which was associated with RKNs was observed on an organic vegetable farm in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Nematodes were extracted from galled plant roots and identified using molecular tools. PCR-based Sequence Characterised Amplified Region (SCAR) primers was used to confirm the specie of the RKN associated with the infected plants. Thereafter, a pot assay was conducted to determine the response of artificially infected Swiss chard plants to varying concentrations of bio-synthesized silver nanoparticle Ag-NP (1 μg/mL, 2 μg/mL, and 3 μg/mL) under controlled conditions. The results of the study showed that Swiss chard is highly susceptible to M. javanica with an egg-laying-female index of >5 in all infected plants. Significantly lower values (at P=0.05) in egg masses (EM), juveniles (J2s), and reproduction factor (RF) of nematodes were recorded on plants treated with 3 μg/mL, indicating a potential for nematode control. A negative correlation was also observed in the number of egg masses, J2s, and RF of the nematodes with increasing concentrations of the Ag-NP. This study confirms that Swiss chard is highly susceptible to M. javanica and demonstrates the potential nematicidal property of Ag-NP in controlling the nematode pest of Swiss chard.

Nematicidal effects of silver nanoparticles (AG-NPs) on the root-knot nematode, <italic>Meloidogyne javanica</italic> associated with Swiss chard (<italic>Beta vulgaris</italic> L.)

Helminthologia

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Nematicidal effects of silver nanoparticles (AG-NPs) on the root-knot nematode,  associated with Swiss chard ( L.)

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) are important nematode pests, causing huge economic losses on vegetable crops worldwide. A decline in the yield of Swiss chard (Beta...

Treatments (Ag-NP)	Egg masses /root system	Juveniles/root system	Reproduction factor RF (pf/pi)
Control	254.14^a	29946.14^a	9.98^a
1 μg/mL	244.43^ab	28021.71^a	9.34^a
2 μg/mL	130.86^ab	13661.71^ab	4.55^ab
3 μg/mL	115.14^b	2909.71^b	0.92^b

Variables	Treatments	Egg masses/root system	Juveniles/root system	Reproduction factor (RF)
Treatments	1
Egg masses/root system	−.482^**	1
Juveniles/root system	−.604^**	.781^**	1
Reproduction factor	−.606^**	.780^**	1.000^**	1

Nematicidal effects of silver nanoparticles (AG-NPs) on the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica associated with Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L.)

Published Online: Sep 22, 2023

Page range: 189 - 195

Received: Nov 10, 2022

Accepted: May 30, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2023-0018

Keywords
Nanoparticles, Root-knot nematode, Swiss chard, Vegetables

© 2023 F. Daramola et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Fig. 1.

Fig. 2.

Effect of Ag-NP on the number of egg mass, juveniles, and reproduction of Meloidogyne javanica on Swiss chard.

Pearson correlations between variables of M. javanica reproduction and Ag-NP treatments.

Nematicidal effects of silver nanoparticles (AG-NPs) on the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica associated with Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris L.)

Published Online: Sep 22, 2023

Page range: 189 - 195

Received: Nov 10, 2022

Accepted: May 30, 2023

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/helm-2023-0018

KeywordsNanoparticles, Root-knot nematode, Swiss chard, Vegetables

© 2023 F. Daramola et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Fig. 1.

Fig. 2.

Effect of Ag-NP on the number of egg mass, juveniles, and reproduction of Meloidogyne javanica on Swiss chard.

Pearson correlations between variables of M. javanica reproduction and Ag-NP treatments.

Keywords
Nanoparticles, Root-knot nematode, Swiss chard, Vegetables