Growth and Anatomy of Green Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) Infected with Meloidogyne incognita

An experiment was performed to study the effects of the root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita on the morphology of the plant and anatomy of infected roots of Poppy, papaver rhoea. The plants were inoculated with 5, 50, 500 and 5000 J2 (T₁, T₂, T₃ and T₄, respectively). The lower inoculum levels (Pi = 5 and 50 J2) of M. incognita did not interfere significantly in the growth and development of the plant. Higher inoculum levels (Pi = 500 and 5000 J2) caused significant reduction in plant growth and yield. Smaller galls were developed on T₁ and T₂ plants. There was no significant difference in gall number on these plants. Larger galls were produced on the roots of the plants that had received higher number of second-stage juveniles 500 and 5,000 J₂ (T₃ and T₄ plants, respectively). Transverse and longitudinal sections of the infected roots revealed that M. incognita successfully established in the roots and caused the formation of giant cells. Hypertrophy and hyperplasia occurred in the vicinity of the giant cells, and some parenchyma transformed into vessel like elements. M. incognita laid egg masses which upon hatching became the source of secondary inoculum and caused fresh infections.