Therapeutic potential of neem (Azadirachta indica) and hemp (Cannabis sativa) soil amendments for the sustainable management of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita) in tomato

Hafiz Matee-Ur-Rehman, Muhammad Tariq-Khan, Basharat Mehmood, Raees Ahmed, Nayla Haneef, Ishaq Ahmad, Zaheer Mahmood

Abstract


Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita) are destructive pathogens that severely reduce tomato growth and yield. This study evaluated the efficacy of neem (Azadirachta indica) and hemp (Cannabis sativa) soil amendments, applied individually and in combination, for suppressing M. incognita and improving tomato performance under greenhouse and field conditions. All amendments significantly (P < 0.05) reduced nematode infestation compared with the inoculated control. Neem consistently exhibited greater nematicidal activity than hemp, with efficacy increasing in a concentration-dependent manner. Under greenhouse conditions, neem at 75% was the most effective individual treatment, reducing the galling index from 6 to 1 and decreasing juvenile density, egg masses, and galls to 42 J2 per 100 g soil, 29 egg masses, and 17 galls per root system, respectively. Similarly, under field conditions, neem at 75% reduced the galling index to 1.66 while suppressing juvenile density, egg masses, and galls to 48 J2 per 100 g soil, 34.33 egg masses, and 22 galls per root system, respectively. The combined application of neem and hemp (50% + 50%) also markedly suppressed nematode infestation and consistently produced the greatest improvements in tomato growth and yield, recording the highest plant height, shoot weight, flower production, stem diameter, and fruit weight under both greenhouse and field conditions. Hemp at 75% was particularly effective in increasing fruit number and root length. Overall, both amendments effectively mitigated M. incognita damage. Neem at 75% provided the greatest nematode suppression, whereas the combined neem-hemp treatment maximized tomato growth and productivity, demonstrating its potential for sustainable integrated nematode management.

Keywords


Neem amendment, Hemp amendment, Root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita, Sustainable nematode management

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References


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DOI: https://doi.org/10.33804/pp.010.03.5426

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