Bio-efficacy of fluorescent pseudomonads isolates against reniform nematode, Rotylenchubs reniformis infecting cotton

Various Pseudornonas fluorescens isolates collected from cotton rhizosphere and TNAU commercial formulation strain of PFl were evaluated for management of reniform nematode in cotton. Maximum colonization of rhizobacterium on cotton roots was observed in plants treated with PFl strain @ 2.5 kgha. Significant reduction in soil and root population of R. reniformis and subsequent increase in cotton plant growth characteristics were observed in P. fluorescens treated plants. Strain PFl effected maximum population reduction of nematode to the extent of 70.4% in soil and 44.8% in roots. It was followed by isolates PFSPI, PFTH and PFC03, which were at par with each other in reducing reniform nematode population in soil and roots of cotton.