Biopesticides for Management of Nematodes in Horticultural Crops*

Horticultural crops are affected by Meloidogyne spp., Heterodera spp., Globodera spp, Pratylenchus spp., Radopholus similis, Tylenchulus semipenetrans and a few eco-parasites. The loss in the yields of horticultural crops in India due to these nematodes would be to the tune of 12–24%. Efforts of nematologists resulted in the development of methods for the management of these nematodes using insecticides. However, these methods proved to be expensive, besides being hazardous to the agro-ecosystems. Hence efforts were made to standardize the methods by the use of nematode biocontrol agents such as Pochonia chlamydosporia, Paecilomyces lilacinus, Trichoderma harzianum and Pseudomonas fluorescens. Bioefficacy data of these bionematicides have been generated on tomato, capsicum, brinjal, okra, papaya, banana, acid lime, carnations, gladioli, tuberose and some other crops, in more than three seasons under experimental field conditions of this institute. The rhizospheric competency of these bionematicides in above mentioned crops rhizosphere was studied including the developed methods of application. Subsequently, efforts were made to standardize a protocol for mass production of these bionematicides. The formulation was evaluated against nematodes infecting tomato, capsicum, brinjal, okra, papaya, banana, acid lime, carnations, gladioli and tuberose under farmer field conditions. Further, efforts were made for inclusion of nematophagous fungi (bioagents) in the schedule of Ministry of Agriculture, through the Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee (CIB & RC). The toxicological data on primary culture and formulation were also generated with the collaboration of International Institute of Biotechnology and Toxicology, Chennai, India. Based on the experimental data Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee, Ministry of Agriculture, approved for the provisional registration (9-3-b) of these bionematicides. Technology of the mass production of these bionematicides has been transferred to more than 20 private entrepreneurs in India.