Controle químico de Meloidogyne exigua em seringueira no Triângulo Mineiro

Abstract

The rubber tree, Hevea brasiliensis, is an erect tree reaching up to 30m total height under favorable conditions and is the most productive vegetable species to obtain natural rubber. One of the main problems with the rubber tree is the nematode Meloidogyne exigua. Thus, this study evaluated the chemical control of this nematode in rubber trees in field conditions, in a rubber tree plantation, under tapping. Soil and root samples were collected to evaluate the nematode population before and after chemical spraying. The products used were Cadusaphos and Fluensulfone. The experimental design was randomized blocks, as a split splot in time, with 5 replications. The experiment units consisted of three rows of 20 plants each, and the central line, with 20 plants, was the evaluation area. The first evaluation was in November 2016, before the application of the chemicals. In April 2017, after the applications, other samples of soil and roots were taken for quantification of nematode population. The samples of soils and roots were processed in the laboratory, subjected to the centrifugation for extraction of the nematodes and counted in a microscope. The results were submitted to analysis of variance and test of averages (Tukey 5%), using SISVAR software. There was a population reduction between the two evaluation periods. Chemicals were not effective in reducing the M. exigua population, however, they demonstrated potential for control, especially Fluensulfone. Therefore, it is concluded that it is possible to include chemical control as a strategy for the management of this serious pathogen.