Use of Leaf Extract and Powder of Ipomoea asarifolia for Control of Root-Knot Nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) on Okra in Jalingo Nigeria

As the unseen enemy, nematodes have caused untold damage to crops and farmers’ income across the world. A study was conducted in 2019 and 2020 to determine the effect of leaf extract and powder of Ipomoea asarifolia (Desr.) Roem. & Schult. On root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne javanica) (Treub, 1885) on okra in the laboratory and pot experiment. Juvenile mortality and egg hatch inhibition tests were conducted in the laboratory. Result of the juvenile mortality test showed that the crude extract (100 % extract) cause the highest mortality (95.33 %) of juveniles while the same crude extract inhibited the hatching of more M. javanica eggs (89.67 %) than the dilutions and control. For the pot experiment, results show that the 60 g powder treatment gave the least galling index (1.0), nematode population (146.96), reproduction factor (0.25) and the highest yield (1568.3 Kg/ha) in 2019. The same trend was observed in 2020. Based on these findings, I. asarifolia leaf extract and powder (60 g) have the potential to put in check the menace posed by M. javanica on okra.