Nutrient uptake as affected by inorganic fertilizers under Meloidogyne incognita infested conditions in cotton

A screenhouse study was undertaken to see the effect of recommended, half and one and a half times of recommended doses of nutrients N, P, Zn individually on Meloidogyne incognita infecting American cotton susceptible var. H-777 and also on uptake on N, P, K, and total sugar and phenol contents. The treatment included non-fertilized and un-inoculated checks and a treatment comprising of combination of N, P, Zn at recommended dose. The results recorded 90 days after inoculation revealed that among individual fertilizers, significantly higher plant growth was observed in nitrogen @ 150 kg/ha followed by 100 kg N and 75 P/ha compared to inoculated check. Fecundity as well as final soil population of M. incognita was significantly lowest at 75 kg P/ha followed by 50 kg P and 150 kg N/ha compared to inoculated checks. By increasing application level of each nutrient, there was corresponding increase in concentration and uptake of N, P, K and total sugar and total phenol contents. Significantly highest uptake was recorded in combined application of nutrients followed by 150 kg N and 75 kg P/ha. Nematode inoculation reduced the concentration and uptake of these constituents significantly in comparison to uninoculated check.