Pathogenicity of Meloidogyne incognita in tomato and its eco-friendly management with bio-inoculants
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Date
2022-11
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College of Post Graduate Studies in Agricultural Sciences, CAU-Imphal, Umiam
Abstract
Tomato is one of the most significant vegetables in the world. It contains lycopene, which is an important antioxidant and can prevent cancer. Meloidogyne incognita has become a limiting factor in the growth of tomato by affecting the growth and yield of the crop. This nematode causes yield loss ranging from 40 to 46% fruit yield of tomato. The present study on the pathogenicity of root-knot nematode, M. incognita revealed that the inoculum level from 500 to 8000 J2 per plant significant reduced the plant growth parameters. Maximum reduction in plant height (44.50 cm),
fresh shoot weight (15.12 g), dry shoot weight (11.62 g), root length (15.75 cm), fresh root weight (11.62 g) and dry root weight (1.70 g) and maximum increase in nematode population like gall index (5.00) was observed in T5, T6, T7, no. of eggs (21.71), nematode soil population (5028), root population (3971) were recorded at 8,000 J2. Simultaneously, it was also observed that reproduction factor (Rf) value declined with
the increase initial J2 inoculum level. Management of M. incognita is a difficult task being endoparasites in nature and that has largely relied on chemical nematicides for decades. Although nematicides are efficient and fast-acting, they have a negative effect in terms of environmental hazards and human health. Therefore, research was undertaken to compare and evaluate efficacy of different ecofriendly bio-inoculants like
BaPseudo (Pseudomonas flourescens), UmRaj (Bacillus megaterium), CAU Bioenhancer (Bacillus altitudinis 41E, Pseudomonas saponiphila 69E, Bacillus altitudinis 47E, Rhizobium leguminosarum (NR2)) either alone or as combine treatment against M. incognita in field conditions. All the bio-inoculants significantly increased the plant growth parameters. However, maximum increase in plant height (49.5 at 60 DAS and 65.83 at 90 DAS) was recorded in combine treatment of (T3) BaPseudo with CAU Bioenhancer over untreated plot. The minimum gall index per plant (1.33 at 60 and 90 DAS), minimum initial (53.33) and final (76.67) nematode population, increased yield (300.66 q/ha) were recorded in combined treatment of (T3) BaPseudo with CAU Bioenhancer in comparison with Nimitz which was used as chemical check (T7). The use of biocontrol agents as seed treatment, bare root dip treatment and soil application was the alternate strategy for management of root knot nematode, M. incognita in tomato. This can further be tested in farmers’ field for management of root knot nematode diseases.