NEMATODE SUPPRESSION AND YIELD IMPROVEMENT POTENTIAL OF ORGANIC AMENDMENTS IN PINEAPPLE PRODUCTION

A factorial experiment was conducted in 2009 at Komenda, a prominent pineapple growing area in the Central region of Ghana. The purpose was to introduce pineapple farmers in the catchment area to organic system of farming. Three organic amendments; ground cocoa testa, ground citrus waste and compost were investigated for their nematode suppression and yield improvement potential in pineapple production. Two of the candidates, cocoa testa and citrus waste demonstrated significant nematode suppression activity. With cocoa testa Helicotylenchus multicintus, Meloidogyne spp., Pratylenchus brachyurus, Rotylenchulus reniformis and Tylenchulus semipenetrans, respectively, were reduced by 83, 75, 85, 87 and 77% relative to the control treatment during the first six months of application of treatments. However, at harvest of the main crop 12 months after application of treatments, citrus waste was the most effective candidate with reductions of 324, 159, 534, 534, 538 and 312% reduction in H. multicintus, Hoplolaimus spp., Meloidogyne spp., P. brachyurus, R. reniformis and T. semipenetrans, respectively, over the control treatment. Yield of the main pineapple crop from citrus waste treated plots was 49 t/ha, which was 26% higher than the 39 t/ha obtained for the control treatment. The use of organic amendments is comparatively cheaper (money and health wise) than the use of synthetic agro-chemicals.