MUCUNA DEERINGIANA SOIL INCORPORATED VS N ON-INCORPORATED AND YIELD IN SUBSEQUENT PLANTINGS OF TOMATO, BEANS OR CORN

The effect of velvet bean Mucuna deeringiana plowed under three months after planting, and non incorporated (cut for forage three months aft er planting), on the nematode population (Meloidogyne incognita, races 1 and 4 and Rotylenchulus reniformis) and on yield of tomato, dry bea ns or corn was studied for two years (1989-1990) in the same experimen t at the Agricultural Experiment Station at Isabela. A two-year rotati on program with Mucuna plowed into the soil, followed by tomato, was t he most effective control for the root knot and reniform nematodes. Th is method increased tomato yield 176% over that of continuous tomato. The root gall index in tomato roots significantly decreased in all plo ts previously planted with Mucuna. Nonincorporated Mucuna did not affe ct tomato yield. Soil incorporated as well as non-incorporated Mucuna increased dry bean yields (212% and 141%, respectively) in 1989 as com pared to yield in monoculture. Mucuna did not affect corn yield.