MANAGEMENT OF MELOIDOGYNE-INCOGNITA INFECTING COWPEA BY USING SOME NATIVE BLUE-GREEN-ALGAE

Three species of blue green algae; Anabena oryzae, Nostoc calcicola an d Spirulina sp, were tested versus Meloidogyne incognita infecting cow pea cv. Baladi. In single treatments, N. calcicola alga was superior t han the other algae treatments in reducing the number of nematode gall s and egg masses as compared to the untreated check. In combined treat ments, the 3 algae together achieved the highest significant (P less t han or equal to 0.01 and 0.05) reduction in the number of galls and eg g masses. All the treatments significantly (P less than or equal to 0. 01 and 0.05) improved plant growth criteria as measured by fresh and d ry weight of shoots and roots and length of shoots and increased the n umber of nodules.