Evaluation of Culturing Methods for the Yam Nematode Scutellonema bradys

Abstract

The study evaluated eight culturing methods for Scutellonema bradys. The media evaluated for culturing the S. bradys were: in vitro yam plantlets (tissue culture), kenaf callus, yam disc inoculated the same day, yam disc inoculated five days after disc preparation, yam disc placed on water agar, whole yam tuber and yam setts planted in potted soil (control). Each method was fitted into a completely randomized design with five replicates and inoculated with fifty individuals of S. bradys except for the control. After eight weeks of incubation, S. bradys were extracted from the media and plant tissue collected from each method. Final population numbers were estimated and nematode reproductive factor (RF) was calculated. The highest RF value was recorded for the whole yam tuber method and tissue culture method with no significant differences (p = 0.05) between the two. S. bradys did not multiply in the yam disc methods evaluated. The findings from the study show that the whole yam tuber method was the best option for culturing S. bradys while the use of tissue culture plantlets may hold some promise.