Management of root- knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita in tomato with liquid bioformulations

Abstract

Root-knot nematodes are one of the major plant parasitic nematodes in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Considering its damage potential, a field experiment was piloted for the management of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita in tomato. For this study, Bacillus subtilis (1% A.S) and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (1% A.S) liquid bioformulations were evaluated. The liquid bioformulations were evaluated in two delivery mechanisms such as nursery drench (5 ml/litre of water) and soil application of bioformulations (5 l ha-1) enriched with FYM (20 t ha-1) individually and in combination and their nematicidal efficacy compared with carbofuran 3G (1 kg a.i. ha-1) and combined application of carbofuran 3G (1 kg a.i.ha- 1) with FYM (20 t ha-1). Among the bioformulations, integrated application of B. amyloliquefaciens (1% A.S) (nursery drench and soil application of enriched FYM) consistently exhibited greater nematicidal activity by resulting maximum percent reduction of nematode population in soil 77.1, 61.5 and 74.6 during 2015-16, 2016- 17 and 2017-18, respectively. Therefore, we able to harvest marketable yield of 24.0, 22.5 and 31.1 t ha-1 during 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18, respectively which was next to combined application of carbofuran 3G (1 kg a.i.ha-1) with FYM (20 t ha-1). Subsequently, it was followed by B. subtilis 1% A.S (nursery drench and soil application of enriched FYM) found promising and recorded percent reduction of nematode population in soil 52.5, 55.8 and 70.4 with marketable yield of 20.0, 22.0 and 30.4 t ha-1 during 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18, respectively. The present findings indicate that, liquid bioformulations of B. amyloliquefaciens (1% A.S) and B. subtilis (1% A.S) with its delivery mechanisms can be considered as a component under integrated nematode management of M. incognita infecting tomato under field condition.