Determination of responses of cucurbits rootstocks to Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White, 1919) Chitwood, 1949

Meloidogyne incognita is the predominant root-knot nematode species infecting cucurbit plants. It causes galling on the roots of plants, and significant yield losses. The use of resistant varieties and rootstocks is one of the most efficient, and environmentally friendly control approaches for root-knot nematodes. However, resistance commercial cucurbits are no available. Therefore, it is important to know the response of commercial cucurbit rootstocks to avirulent and Mi-1.2 virulent isolates of M. incognita. In this study, cucurbit rootstocks Acar F1, Azman F1, Boğa F1, CN15 F1, Cremna F1, Gürdal F1, Maximus F1, Nun 9075 F1, Obez F1, Squash No.3, TZ 148 F1 and Vaha F1 were tested with avirulent and Mi-1.2 virulent isolates of M. incognita in plant growth room (25±1 ˚C) under controlled conditions. Each M. incognita isolate-cucurbit rootstock combination was replicated 5 times in a completely randomized design. The experiment was repeated once under the same conditions. Cucurbit seedlings with two true leaves were inoculated with 1000 second stage of juveniles of M. incognita isolates. Sixty days after nematode inoculation, the plants were uprooted and roots were washed under tap water. The galls and egg masses on the roots were counted and evaluated according to 0-5 scale value. All cucurbit rootstocks were found susceptible to M. incognita isolates.