Effect of bio-fertilizers with graded doses of NPK on Tomato (cv. Pusa ruby) infected by Meloidogyne incognita

A replicated pot culture study was conducted on the effect of biofertilizers like Azospirillum, Azotobacter and Phosphorus Solubilising Bacteria (PSB) with graded doses of NPK on tomato (cv. Pusa ruby) infected by Meloidogyne incognita. The results revealed that all other treatments barring the untreated check significantly increased the plant growth parameters and reduced root knot nematode multiplication. However, application balanced N-P-K @ 125-50-100 kg/ha and bio fertilizers (Azospirillum + Azotobacter + PSB) @ 6 kg/ha performed the best by increasing the plant height (80.6%), shoot fresh weight (66.3%), root fresh weight (77.3%), shoot dry weight (66.3%), root dry weight (64.2%), root volume (76.7%) with the corresponding decrease in root galls (75.8%) and final root knot nematode population in soil and root (74.8%) over untreated check. The application balanced N-P-K @ 125-50-100 kg/ha and bio fertilizers (Azospirillum +Azotobacter + PSB) @ 6 kg/ha could be one of the management option of Meloidogyne incognita infecting tomato.