Investigations on the susceptibility of cucumber crop and nematode infectivity in Abua, Rivers State, Nigeria

Abstract

Cucumis sativa is a valuable crop plant known with special interest in the study area. Its viability in supporting local trade necessitated the examination of prospects of threat to quality yield and its sustenance. The present study investigated the susceptibility of cucumber crops to nematode infectivity and examined two cucumber mono-culture vegetations in Abua. Root tissues and soil within the root region of the cucumber crop were sampled using hand trowels and kitchen knives for the collection of the samples. The modified Barmann’s technique was adopted for nematode bioassay and nematode identification was done using a pictorial key. Overall nematode richness of 649 was obtained with 417 (64.3%) occurring in soil and roots from farm A and farm B had 232 (35.7%) appearing in roots and soil. Nematode with the highest density was Rotylenchus species 0.82 and Meliodogyne species 0.49 in farms A and B respectively. The availability of nematodes within the root region and inside the root tissues of cucumber as observed in this study suggests that the crop is vulnerable to nematode infectivity which means catastrophe to the farmer and the society relying on quality farm produce for survival. The result here opined that continuous mono-cropping supports nematode multiplication in the natural ecosystem. The study further suggests that the ever presence of susceptible plants in cultivated fields with nematode species of specificity can facilitate nematode growth sequence and prompt their widespread in the ecosystem.