Indian Journal of Nematology

The nematicidal effect of neem seed kernel extract (NSKE), neem, aak and castor leaves was tested against root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum. Under the polyhouse conditions, all the treatments reduced the disease severity and enhanced the plant growth as compared to untreated inoculated check. Application of neem seed kernel extract (NSKE) was more effective as compared to neem leaves. Plant height, dry shoot weight, dry root weight, were significantly reduced as a results of infection with M. incognita and F. oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum. However, application of phytotherapeutic substances recovered this reduction. Moreover, they enhanced the growth parameters viz., plant height, dry shoot weight, dry root weight compared to control. Our results proved that application of different phytotherapeutic substances, neem seed kernel extract (NSKE), neem, aak and castor leaves not only had a suppressive effect on the root knot nematode, but also enhanced the plant growth parameters, supplying nutritional elements to the plants. Among phytotherapeutic substances, A. indica seed kernel extracts were found to be most effective in suppressing galling and final population in soil and fungus wilt incidence after 30^th day of germination followed by mustard and aak leaves as compared to untreated inoculated check.