Pest Management in Horticultural Ecosystems

Bacillus amyloliquefaciens IIHR BA2 strain was tested in vitro for its compatibility with five different bio-control agents viz., Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Trichoderma viride, Paecilomyces lilacinus and Pochonia chlamydosporia. Among them, T. viride and B. subtilis showed maximum compatibility of 62.80% and 60.00% respectively followed by Pochonia chlamydosporia (50.90%), Paecilomyces lilacinus (48.60%) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (25.00%). Compatibility of B. amyloliquefaciens IIHR BA2 was also tested with seven commercial agrochemicals viz., K-cyclin, captan, mancozeb, copper oxychloride, fenamidone + mancozeb, carbendazim and wettable sulphur at different concentrations. The results revealed that carbendazim and wettable sulphur were highly compatible at the concentration of 500 ppm but K-Cyclin, captan, mancozeb, copper oxychloride, fenamidone + mancozeb exhibited high toxicity and observed no growth at all the tested concentrations with B. amyloliquefaciens IIHR BA2. These results are very crucial for decision making in Integrated Nematode Management programmes and also in development of consortia formulations.