Department of Plant Pathology, PAU, Ludhiana-141 004
National Symposium on “Plant Pathology in the Changing Global Scenario” held at National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, New Delhi on February 27–28, 2009
Root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne graminicola) is an emerging problem on rice in light soils in Punjab. It has been reported along Kohara- Machhiwara road in dist. Ludhiana and many other villages of Punjab from nursery as well as from main fields. Therefore,some chemicals were tried for the management of this nematode in nursery bed itself and effective treatments were further carried to the main field for assessing their effect on the buildup of the nematode and paddy yield. In nursery beds, experiment was conducted in naturally infested soil in plots measuring 1x1m. Plots were treated with chemicals (Furadan 3G, Caldan 4G and Thimet 10G each @ 3 and 4kg a.i./ha) at the time of sowing and rice seed (PR116) was soaked in chemicals (Caldan 50 SP and Marshal 25 E each at 0.3% a.i. and Rakshak gold 0.8% of commercial formulation) for 12 hrs before sowing. RGI (root galling index) and fresh weight of ten plants from each replicate was recorded at the time of transplanting seedlings 40 days after sowing. For main field experiment, nursery from six effective treatments in nursery beds (Furadan 3G, Caldan 4G and Thimet 10G each @3and 4kg a.i./ha) was transplanted in main field in 4x4m plots. Prior to transplanting field was green manured with dhaincha (Sesbania sp) and puddled properly. RGI of five plants from each replication was recorded 70 days after transplanting and paddy yield was recorded. No nematicidal treatment was given in the main field.
Among nursery bed treatments, Thimet 10G at the both the doses was most effective chemical in reducing RGI(75 and 74% reduction, respectively) followed by Furadan 3G (54 and 49% reduction, respectively)and Caldan 4G. Seed soaking in all the three chemicals though effective in reducing RGI affected germination badly at the used doses. Fresh plant weight was not affected much by the treatments. In main field observations, nursery bed treatment with Furadan 3G @ 4 kg a.i./ha was observed most effective in increasing paddy yield (9.6% over untreated check). Though Thimet 10 G @ 4 kg a.i./ha was most effective in reducing the buildup of the nematode (30% reduction over check), it did not increase the yield correspondingly.
