Enzyme Activity and Rootstock Resilience: A Study on the Effect of Different Levels of Meloidogyne incognita Inocula on Grafted Cucurbit Crops

A significant constraint on the cultivation of cucurbitaceae crops is root-knot nematodes. This study investigated the impact of Meloidogyne incognita inoculum levels on the development, reproductive patterns, and growth stages of nematodes in cucurbitaceous hybrids. Experiments were conducted using watermelon cv. Aswan F1 and sweet melon cv. Faransawy, along with rootstocks 6001 F1 and BS F1, and their grafted combinations. The plants underwent treatment with 0, 1000, 2000, 4000, and 8000 M. incognita J2/plant. Our results revealed that nematode reproduction and key plant development metrics were significantly affected by inoculum density and host type. Resistant rootstocks and grafted combinations exhibited lower nematode build-up, less severe growth reductions, and enhanced enzyme activity compared to susceptible cultivars. According to the study, rootstock selection, grafting, and enzyme activity assessment are effective tools for maintaining low levels of root-knot nematode infestation in cucurbit crops.