Effects of Infestation by Root Knot Nematode Meloidogyne lncognita Chitwood on Yield and Quantity of Tomatoes in the Port Moresby Area of Papua New Guinea.

Abstract

Infestation with Meloidogyne incognita reduced the mean number of fruit per plant by 5.5 (P< 0.05) in tomato variety 'Red Cloud', which represented a crop loss of 23.4 percent. Fruit size and plant dry weight (excluding fruit) were not affected. Fruit of infested plants showed significantly less Growth Cracking but earlier Blossom End Rot.