Control of Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) in Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Crop Using Siam Weed (Chromolaena odorata) Compost Manure

A field experiment was conducted at Landmark University Omu-Aran, Nigeria from June to November 2017 and repeated at the same time in the year 2018 on a nematode infested soil to evaluate the effects of different amounts of Siam weed compost on the performance of root-knot nematode (RKN) infested tomato. The compost was applied a week before planting as soil amendment at the amount of 0.0, 0.5, 1.5, and 2.0 t·ha⁻¹, while carbofuran was applied at the rate of 3.0 kg·ha⁻¹. Four weeks old tomato seedlings cultivar ‘Roma VF’, which is susceptible to RKN, was transplanted to already prepared soil. Results of the experiment showed that the compost, especially in the amount 2 t·ha⁻¹ and carbofuran at 3 kg·ha⁻¹, brought about significant reduction of the population of RKN in soil and roots, and a significant increase in the growth and yield of tomato. The result of the experiment showed that Siam compost can be used for the managing root-knot nematodes in tomato cultivation, as an environmentally safe factor.