Department of Plant Pathology, PAU, Ludhiana-141004
National Symposium on Strategic Issues in Plant Pathological Research held at Department of Plant Pathology, CSK HP Krishi Vishvavidayalaya, Palampur on November 24–25, 2011
Nematodes are now established constraints in the growth of plants including medicinal, aromatic and spices. It is surprising to note that almost 136 species of medicinal, aromatic and spice plants belonging to 97 genera are infested with five species of Meloidogyne. Therefore, some biopesticides were evaluated for the management of root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita in fennel, coriander and fenugreek. Pseudomonas florescens proved to be the best as it reduced the root knot nematode galling index (43.96% germination against 33.49%, 5000 gm against 3333 gm straw, 570 gm against 300 gm grains and 1.7 against 2.7 galling index in control) in coriander and also improved seed germination, straw and grain yields. In fennel it was Trichoderma viride that resulted in enhanced seed germination, reduced galling index and increased straw yield (7.96 against 4.91, 1.0 against 1.3, 6500 gm against 5700 gm, respectively in control). In fenugreek, T. viride again proved the best in reducing galling index, increasing straw and grain yields (1.7 against 3.0, 4300 gm against 2250 gm and 63 gm against 35 gm in control respectively).
