Orange fungus extract shields tomato roots from damaging worms
Soil Health
If you've ever pulled up a wilting tomato plant to find lumpy, knotted roots, you've met root-knot nematodes, and this fungus-derived treatment offers a way to fight them without reaching for harsh chemicals.
Root-knot nematodes are tiny worms that attack plant roots and cause stunted, unhealthy growth in tomatoes and many other crops. Researchers found that a natural sugar-based extract from a common orange bracket fungus, when sprayed on leaves and applied to roots, significantly reduced how many nematodes survived and reproduced. It's a promising lead for gardeners and farmers who want to protect their plants using something derived from nature instead of synthetic pesticides.
Key Findings
Applying the extract at 500 mg/L to both roots and leaves reduced nematode numbers in roots and soil by 70% and 74% respectively.
The combined foliar spray and root immersion method cut the nematode reproduction factor by 68% and lowered egg viability by 62%.
Individual concentration tests showed up to 67% fewer egg masses and 76% reduced egg viability depending on dose.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A compound extracted from a bright orange wood fungus can protect tomato plants from root-knot nematodes, a common soil pest, without synthetic pesticides. Spraying leaves and soaking roots together with the fungal extract cut nematode damage by around 70%.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Polysaccharide-based compound from the fungus Pycnoporus sanguineus for the protection of tomato plants against Meloidogyne incognita
ABSTRACT New control strategies for Meloidogyne incognita are needed to meet the global demand for environmentally safe methods. The objective of this study was to use crude polysaccharide extract ...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
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