Bio-Management of Root-Knot Nematode, Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood in Jasmine (Jasminum sambac L.)

Investigations were undertaken in pots (30,-.,/0#1&2#! 334(#5 "6#7#8#%! sterilized potting mixture consisting of red soil:sand:FYM (2:1:1 v/v) to assess the effect of organic amendments viz., neem cake, vermicompost, pungam cake and castor cake; bio-agents viz., PGPR Pseudomonas fluorescens, the antagonistic fungus Trichoderma viride, the egg parasitic fungi Paecilomyces lilacinus and nematicides viz., carbofuran and phorate, against root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita in jasmine (Jasminum sambac L). The results indicated that P. fluorescens @ 10g/plant (6x10⁸ colony forming units/g), gave maximum reduction of juveniles per 100g soil (69.7%), number of adult females (70.1%) and eggs per g root (87.2%), gall index (2.6) and increased flower yield (36.6%). Carbofuran, phorate, Paecilomyces lilacinus and neem cake were next in line in efficacy. Further, organic amendments and bio-agents had a positive influence on growth parameters viz., plant height, shoot weight and root weight. The endophytic colonization potential of the bio-agents introduced into the soil was confirmed by re-isolating them from jasmine roots.