Unakatu

Investigatory Project in Science

Submitted to: Submitted By: Group I

Ms. Lavilla Members:

Christian Rex Hilado

Allan Jay Fuentes

Elven Paderan Jr.

Chapter I

INTRODUCTION

The Philippines being an agricultural tropic country is primarily independent on it’s a agricultural improvement of the country has been hampered and slowed down by flood, earthquakes, drought, and by some harmful activities of some plant-parasitic pests.

Specifically, the root-knot nematodes, under the genus Meloidogyne spp, which are still a major problem in growing potatoes, carrots, other root crops and especially the tomato plant, Lycopersicon esculentum, which is susceptible to root-knot nematode infection. This plant-parasitic pest have been one of the greatest problem of the farmers to control because of their rapid reproduction, voracious and as well as the diseases infected on the plant host.

Root-knot nematodes may cause the roots tomato plant to have visible galls and may exhibit excessive branching. Parasitized plant may be weak, stunted and root systems may deform. These activities of root knot nematodes caused severe damaged to the plant host that can result to unmarketability, waste of money, yield decrease or even total crop failure.

Background of the Study

The researcher aims to develop resistance of Lycopersicon esculentum (Tomato) plant against Metoidogyne spp. (Root-knot nematodes) using natural substances such as chitosan extracted from crabhells.

Chitosan’s biological properties such as growth stimulator production, immuno-protection inhibitors for plants against fungus diseases and pests, pesticides of prolonged effect and antinematode soil treatment are the basis of conducting this study. In this study, the researcher aims to extract...