Management of Rice root-knot nematode by soil application of carbofuran at different intervals

The study was undertaken in infested pot soil to evaluate the effectiveness of soil application of carbofuran at different time schedules against Meloidogyne graminicola on six rice cultivars viz. Anjali, Abhishek, Hazari, Samba Mehsuri, Sugandh and Vandana. All the cultivars except Abhishek were found susceptible and developed characteristic terminal galls. The cv. Sugandh expressed highest degree of susceptibility, developed 57 galls/root system and exhibited 29% decrease in the plant growth variables. The cvs. Samba Mehsuri, Hazari, Anjali and Vandana developed 28–38 galls/root system. These cultivars also supported the production of 20–30 egg masses leading to 60–90% increase in the soil population of M. graminicola. Soil application of carbofuran at 15^th or 30^th day of transplanting suppressed the galling, egg mass production and soil population of the nematode and improved the plant growth of rice cultivars, the effect being greater with the former. The study revealed that soil application of carbofuran at 15^th day can significantly control the root-knot and improve the plant growth of rice than 30^th Day.