The effects of stirring, population levels and a potential anti-nematodal product on the respiration of second-stage juveniles of Meloidogyne incognita measured with different technology

Abstract

The oxygen consumption rate (OCR) of Meloidogyne incognita second-stage juveniles (J2) was measured using polarographic oxygen sensor (POS) and fibre-optic oxygen sensor (FOS) technology. The effect of stirring speed on the OCR of J2 suspended in tap water was determined using POS. Next, the OCR of different J2 numbers was measured using FOS. Also, the OCR of J2 in tap water using POS and FOS was recorded, and also the effect of SoilBioMuti (SBM) on J2 OCR using FOS. Stirring speed had no pronounced effect on the OCR of J2. FOS recorded the OCR of as few as five J2. The OCR of J2 in sterile tap water was significantly lower for POS than FOS. Using FOS, non-filtered (NF) SBM without J2 had the highest OCR, being 42% higher than that of NF SBM with J2. The two filtered SBM (with and without J2) treatments had the lowest OCR values