The okra (
Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) is one
of the most important vegetables in the world and is
a popular food item in many tropical and subtropical
countries. Besides its cultivation for fresh consumption,
okra also has potential industrial uses. Nonetheless, pests
and diseases remain the most damaging factors affecting
its crop yield. Among these, root-knot nematodes are the
main pests limiting okra production. This study aimed to
determine the responses of plant species of the Malvaceae
family to
Meloidogyne incognita and
M. enterolobii rootknot
nematodes, and to also assess the compatibility of
the same with the okra commercial ‘Colhe Bem IAC’.
Resistance was evaluated using the reproduction factor
in two commercial okra cultivars (‘Colhe Bem IAC’ and
‘Santa Cruz 47’), five cotton (
Gossypium hirsutum
L.)
plant genotypes (PRO 277, IAC 29-233, PR 136, IAC
24, and IAC 03-979), and vinagreira (
Hibiscus sabdariffa
L.) Other resistance-related traits measured were the
percentage of healing, plant height, root length, rootstock
stem diameter, scion stem diameter, number of leaves,
total fresh weight, and fresh weight of the scion, rootstock,
and root parts. While the cotton and vinagreira genotypes
tested were resistant to both species of nematodes, okra
cultivars were not. The okra, however, showed successful
adaptation to grafting, which may offer an important
physical resistance against attacks by root-knot nematodes,
while vinagreira showed the greatest potential for use as
rootstock for protecting okra crops.
