Variation in pathogenicity of Meloidogyne incognita on chickpea at different inoculum densities*

Survey conducted in different chickpea growing areas of Karnataka indicated the occurrence of root-knot nematode with a variation in population levels among the districts, with a mean inoculum level of 0.12 larvae per g soil under field conditions. An inoculum level of 2 larvae per g soil was found as optimum damaging threshold level on cultivar Annegiri-1 under green house conditions. Increase in the level of larval inoculum resulted in proportional decrease in plant growth and an increase on root-knot disease on chickpea.