University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh PATHOGENICITY OF Meloidogyne incognita AND Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici ON GROWTH, YIELD AND WILT SEVERITY IN TWO VARIETIES OF TOMATO (Solanum lycopersicum L.) IN GHANA BY VIGBEDOR DELADEM HANNAH 10375148 THIS THESIS IS SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA, LEGON IN PARTIAL FUFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY (MPHIL) CROP SCIENCE DEGREE DEPARTMENT OF CROP SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF GHANA JULY, 2019 University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh DECLARATION I, HANNAH DELADEM VIGBEDOR, do hereby declare that except for references to the work of other researchers that have been duly acknowledged, this work submitted is the outcome of my original investigations and findings and that this thesis has neither in whole or in part been presented for another degree elsewhere. …………………………… ………………….. HANNAH DELADEM VIGBEDOR DATE (STUDENT) ………………………………… ………………….. DR. S. T. NYAKU DATE (MAIN SUPERVISOR) ………………………………. ………………….. DR. E. W. CORNELIUS DATE (CO – SUPERVISOR) i University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh DEDICATION I dedicate this thesis to my parents, Mr. Samuel Vigbedor and Mrs. Juliana Vigbedor for their support throughout the period of this study. ii University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh ACKNOWLEDGEMENT My deepest thanks to God Almighty for his grace and protection throughout the years. I also want to thank Dr. Seloame Tatu Nyaku, Dr. Eric Cornelius and Dr. Vincent Eziah, all lecturers at the Department of Crop Science who encouraged and directed me in the course of this study. May God bless and increase you in wisdom. To Mr. Samuel Osabutey, Mr. Richard Otoo and Mr. Issac Bedu technicians at Plant Pathology Laboratory I say thank you for all the technical support during the laboratory work. My deepest gratitude also goes to the teaching assistants of the Department of Crop Science for their help on the field. My heart felt appreciation also goes to Mr. William Asante, Mr. Nicholas Agyekum and Mr. Stephen Atsu of University of Ghana farms for their assistance during the field experiments. Finally, I say a big thank you to all the wonderful people who were blessings during the entire period of my study especially, Mr. Yaw Akoto Dankwa, Osei Kwadwo Mensah and Joel Kyere Nimarko. God richly bless you all. iii University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh Table of Content DECLARATION ........................................................................................................................ i DEDICATION ........................................................................................................................... ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ....................................................................................................... iii Table of Content ....................................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ........................................................................................................................... vii List of Figures ........................................................................................................................ viii List of Appendices ................................................................................................................. viii ABSTRACT .............................................................................................................................. xi CHAPTER ONE ........................................................................................................................ 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1 CHAPTER TWO ....................................................................................................................... 4 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................. 4 2.1 Origin, Botany and Importance of Tomato ...................................................................... 4 2.2 Climatic and Soil Requirement for Tomato Growth ........................................................ 6 2.3. Tomato Varieties in Ghana ............................................................................................. 6 2.4. World Tomato Production ............................................................................................... 7 2.5 Tomato Production in Ghana ........................................................................................... 8 2.6 Losses in Tomato Production ........................................................................................... 9 2.7 Fusarium oxysporum ...................................................................................................... 10 2.7.1 General Characteristics of Fusarium oxysporum .................................................... 10 2.7.2. Biology and Lifecycle of Fusarium oxysporum ..................................................... 10 2.7.3. Fusarium Wilt Disease in Tomato.......................................................................... 11 2.8. The Root-Knot Nematode ............................................................................................. 12 2.8.1 Root- Knot Damage ................................................................................................. 12 2.8.2 Biology and Life Cycle of Meloidogyne Species. ................................................... 12 iv University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 2 .8.3 Symptoms of Meloidogyne On Host Plant ............................................................. 13 2.9. Disease Complexes and Interactions of Nematode and Fungi ...................................... 14 2.10. Types of Interaction Between Fungi and Nematodes ................................................. 17 2.10.1 Synergistic Interaction ........................................................................................... 17 2.10.2. Antagonistic Interaction ....................................................................................... 18 2.10.3 Neutral Interaction ................................................................................................. 19 3.0 MATERIALS AND METHOD ..................................................................................... 20 3.1. Isolation and Confirmation of Microorganisms Causing Root- Knot and Fusarium Wilt Disease ................................................................................................................................. 20 3.1.1 Nematode Extraction ............................................................................................... 20 3.1.2. Isolation of Fungi Causing Tomato Wilt Disease .................................................. 21 3.2 Determination of the Individual and Combined Effects of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and Meloidogyne Spp. on the Growth and Yield of Tomato. ............................ 22 3.2.1 Experimental Site .................................................................................................... 22 3.2.2 Experimental Design ............................................................................................... 22 3.2.4 Nursing of Seeds ...................................................................................................... 24 3.2.5 Preparation of Micro Biological Media for Isolation of Fungi ............................... 24 3.2.6 Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) Preparation ............................................................... 24 3.2.7. Preparation of Fusarium oxysporum f.sp lycopersici Inoculum ............................. 24 3.2.8 Inoculation of Tomato Plant with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp lycopersici Inoculum .......................................................................................................................................... 24 3.2.9 Re-Isolation of Fungi ............................................................................................... 25 3.2.10 Data Collection ...................................................................................................... 25 3.3. Determination of Reproductive Ability of Meloidogyne incognita on Tomato, After Fusarium oxysporum f. sp.lycopersici Infections. ............................................................... 27 3.3.1. Nematode Egg Population ...................................................................................... 27 3.3.2. Root Score .............................................................................................................. 27 3.3.3 Determination of Nematode Reproductive Index .................................................... 27 v University of Ghana http://ugspace.ug.edu.gh 3.4 Data Analysis ................................................................................................................. 28 4.1 Microorganisms Causing Root- Knot and Fusarium Wilt Diseases of Tomato ............. 29 4.1.1 Meloidogyne incognita ............................................................................................ 29 4.2 Individual and Combined Effects of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici and Meloidogyne Spp. on the Growth and Yield of Tomato. ..................................................... 30 4.2.1 Results From University Of Ghana Farms .............................................................. 30 4.3 Reproductive Ability of Meloidogyne on Tomato After Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici