Effect of soil sterilants on nematodes, microarthropods and soil mycoflora in tomato under protected conditions

The effect of metham sodium, dazomet and neem cake was observed on plant parasitic and saprophytic nematodes, microarthropods and fungi in tomato under polyhouse conditions. There was significant reduction in the population of Meloidogyne incognita (46.8 -74.8%) and Helicotylenchus (77.7–100.0%) with metham sodium (30, 50 mL per m²) and dazomet (30, 50 g per m²) at the crop harvest. Neem cake was found to be least effective and showed 21.2 and 31.7% reduction in population of M. incognita and Helicotylenchus, respectively. Saprophytic nematodes were also adversely affected by metham sodium and dazomet showing reduction in their population by 46.3–90.9%, whereas in neem cake, decrease in the population of saprophytic nematodes was 46.3%. Microarthropod population in different treatments of metham sodium and dazomet was found to decline from 85.7–100.0%. Six fungi were isolated and out of these, Fusarium sp. was relatively tolerant.