BIOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT OF ROOT-KNOT (Meloidogyne spp.) OF TOMATO

Abstract

Plant extracts like neem (Azadirachta indica), marigold (Tagetes patula) and telakochu (Coccinia grandis), mustard (Brassica campestris) oil-cake and Trichoderma harzianum were used against root-knot of tomato caused by (Meloidogyne spp.) followed by root dipping method. Among the plant extracts and bio-agent , mustard oil-cake extract gave the highest response in plant growth characters like length of shoot and root, fresh weight of shoot and root with corresponding lower galling incidence with the population of L2, L3, L4 and adult females of (Meloidogyne spp.) in tomato. Mustard oil-cake extract gave higher response followed by neem leaf extract in plant growth and the lower galling as well as suppressed population of (Meloidogyne spp.). Trichoderma harzianum bio-agent showed lower response followed by marigold leaf extract to enhance plant growth and suppressing nematode activities within the treated plants. Telakochu leaf extract gave the lowest response in plant growth characters of tomato consequently with higher number of galls and nemic populations compared to control. All extracts performed better in root dipping method. Negative correlation between gall number with egg mass and adult females of tomato indicated the better action of plant extracts suppressing the nematode activity.