Indian Journal of Nematology

Foliar application of Dikegulac (sodium 2, 3: 4-6-di-0-isopropylidene-α-L-xylo-2-hexalofuranosate) at 250, 500 and 1000 μg/ml initially inhibited growth of nematode inoculated as well as the nematode free plants followed by revival in both the series. Consequent on Dikegulac spray, shoot and fruit weights were adversely affected when data were taken 40 days after treatments. Nematode galls were maximum in the nematode inoculated series receiving no Dikegulac. At 70 days harvest, plant growth in the Dikegulac treatment showed signs of improvement and reduction in gall numbers while the nematode inoculated brinjal (receiving no Dikegulac) supported larger number of galls. Root protein in the latter was always higher than any other treatment. Measurements of Meloidogyne incognita females collected from different treatments revealed that maximum attenuation in nematode morphology occurred in the plants receiving higher doses of the growth retardant and in these the mean number of primary galls per gram of root was minimum, while those receiving the medium dose did not show much difference with those receiving the highest dose. All the Dikegulac treated plants differed significantly from the nematode inoculated series (receiving no Dikegulac) so far as nematode morphometries was concerned.