Control of <i>Meloidogyne javanica</i> in cowpea with silicon application

Abstract

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L) Walp) can suffer significant losses due to the attack of Meloidogyne javanica. The most effective control is through nematicides, however, it is an expensive treatment, so alternative measures have been sought. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the effect of silicon on the control of M. javanica in cowpea plants. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, in a completely randomized design, in a 5 × 2 + 1 factorial scheme, being: five doses of Si (0, 60, 120, 180, and 240 mg dm^-3), two soluble sources of Si (Quimifol Silício® and sodium silicate P.A.), plus an additional treatment consisting of tomato cultivation in soil without the addition of Si and with nematodes, with four replications. Sixty days after inoculation in the plants, the root systems were collected and evaluated: volume, length and fresh mass of roots, gall index, egg mass index, reproduction factor, reproduction index, and reduction of reproductive factor of M. javanica. The sources of silicon at different doses had a positive effect on root variables. They were also able to reduce the parasitism variables of M. javanica in cowpea plants.