Study of the interaction between nematodes and PIF plants of Xanthoma sagittifolium L. Schott

Abstract

Xanthosoma sagittifolium contains calcium oxalate and is vulnerable to pests and diseases, including nematodes, which can affect its growth as well as that of neighboring crops. This study examines the nematodes in the rhizosphere of X. sagittifolium and their impact on L. sativa and A. esculentus. Five harvest sites in the Central Region (Akonolinga, Mbankomo, Bafia, Ndji, Mbalmayo) were selected. Agronomic growth parameters were evaluated on randomly selected plants from different age groups (6-9 and 9-12 months). At each harvest site, soil from the rhizosphere X. sagittifolium were collected. The physicochemical characteristics of the soils were analyzed. The nematode status of X. sagittifolium plants and their morphological characterization were carried out based on the harvest site. A biochemical analysis was conducted after the interaction to assess the content of chlorophyll, sugars, proteins, and phenolic compounds. The results showed the presence of Radopholus sp., Ditylenchus sp., and Xiphinema sp. under the rhizosphere of X. sagittifolium. The genus of Radopholus sp.was the most present. From the Newman and Keuls test during interaction of plant with Radopholus sp., analysis showed that the agronomic growth parameters were significant, with plant height values of 134.80±33.76 cm for the white cultivar and 144.76±17.29 cm for the red cultivar. The average number of leaves did not show significant differences for both cultivars across the five sites. Soil pH ranged from 4.9 to 5.5 across all sites. The sterilized soils, as well as those from Akonolinga, Mbankomo, Bafia, Ndji, and Mbalmayo, exhibited varying soil textures ranging from sandy clay silt to sandy silt. The biochemical analysis revealed that the highest chlorophyll content was 1.30±0.00 mg.g-1 in the red cultivar of X. sagittifolium at the first month in Mbankomo, and the total sugar content was 633.69±85.44 mg.g-1 in the white cultivar of X. sagittifolium at the first month in Mbalmayo. The nematodes collected from the rhizosphere of cocoyam caused damage to Lactuca sativa and Abelmoschus esculentus plants, with respective plant height values of 134.80±33.76 cm for the white cultivar at Bafia and 144.76±17.29 cm for the red cultivar at Ndji. This study provides essential information for crop management and food security, highlighting the impact of nematodes in the rhizospheres of X. sagittifolium and their effect on neighboring crops.