Influence of Three Bioagents on Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood, Infecting Squash Plants Under Greenhouse Conditions

A greenhouse trial was conducted to study the performance of three bioa-compounds i.e. bioarc (Bacillus megaterium), biozeid (Trichoderma album) and protecto, Bacillus thuringinthis (Bt) on plant growth characters of squash plant cv. Eskandrany infected with 1000 eggs of the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita in comparison with oxamyl under greenhouse conditions (25 +/- 3 degrees C). Results indicated that all tested materials enhanced plant growth criteria and diminished nematode parameters as well. Biozeid gave maximum values of plant length (107.6%), number of flowers (73.1%), leaves/plant (40.2%), total plant fresh weight (54.6%), shoot dry weight (92.9%), highest percentage reduction values of fmal nematode density (88.8%), number of galls, (79.9%), and egg-masses (93.6%), followed by bioarc. Moreover, plant receiving (Bt) showed a reasonable fmal population (87.0%) and number of galls (63.2%) and egg-masses (84.2%), comparing to nematode only. The reproduction factor of M incognita on squash plant was adversely affected by the tested bio-products, since its values ranged from 0.12 for oxamyl to 1.1 for (Bt) vs 1.97 for nematode alone, where biozeid treatment gave the lowly RF value (0.22).