A pot experiment was conducted to study the efficacy of leaf powder of Cassia tora and Morus alba, (20 g each, per kg soil), along with Paecilomyces lilacinus alone & in combination against Meloidogyne incognita on chickpea. The plant growth was enhanced and the nematode population reduced in the soil amended with leaf powders. The leaf powder of C. tora was found to be more effective in suppressing gall formation on the root and nematode population in the soil than that of Morus alba. The leaf powders when applied singly failed to reduce final soil population of the nematode. Addition of P. lilacinus alone into the soil reduced nematode population and increased yield of chickpea. In comparison to only leaf powder, combinations of C. tora leaf powder and P. lilacinus were most effective in controlling M. incognita. From the data it might be concluded that a combination of leaf powder of C. tora and P. lilacinus successfully managed the root knot nematode compared to a combination of two leaf powders.
Meloidogyne incognita, chickpea, Cassia tora, Morus alba, Paecilomyces lilacinus
