The study aimed to use two culture algal Spirulina platensis, Anabaena
azollae, Azolla pinnata and Pleurotus columbinus besides olive mill waste in
controlling root knot nematode, Meloidogyne javanica in banana was monitored
under both laboratory and commercial greenhouse conditions. Laboratory
experiment revealed that high juvenile mortality percentage occurred during all the
exposure periods of all treatments, the best results were after 72 hr exposure.
Spirulina platensis followed by Anabaena azollae, Azolla pinnata, Pleurotus
columbinus and olive watery extract significantly increased juveniles mortality up to
70%after 72h at the highest concentration of 1:10 (85.2, 81.4, 79.9, 73.5, 71.7 and
70.1%, respectively).
In the productivity greenhouse experiment, the combination of culture filtrates
of Spirulina platensis, Anabaena azollae, Azolla pinnata, Pleurotus columbinus and
olive mill waste water achieved the highest reduction in the number of total
nematodes in both soil and roots, also in numbers of galls. In addition, all
combinations significantly increased the crop yield of banana plants comparing with
the individual treatment and the control.
The combined treatments significantly enhanced the CO2 evolution,
dehydrogenase and nitrogenase activities over the control. It could be
recommended that application of biological control agents against root knot
nematode in banana is preferable to reduce the chemical nematicides inputs.