Bio-management of rice root-knot nematode, M. graminicola by using various organic amendments and bio-control agents on rice nursery

A screen house experiment was conducted during kharif season, 2020-21 to know the effect of organic amendments and bio-agents (alone and in combination) in comparison with chemical on the population of rice root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne graminicola) in rice. Nursery was grown in 5 kg soil capacity earthen pan filled with infested soil having initial nematode population 285 J2/200 cc soil. Seeds of the rice (Variety- Pusa 1121) were soaked in tap water for 24 h and the sprouted seeds were sown in pots. Hundred seeds of rice were sown in each pot and each treatment was replicated four times. Organic amendments (neem cake and FYM) and bio-agents (Pseudomonas fluorescens, Purpureocillium lilacinum and Trichoderma viride) were added 10 days before sowing. Weighted amount of bio-agents was mixed in neem cake and FYM for enrichment with 7-10 days waiting period. Carbofuran (Furadan 3G) was added at time of sowing. The earthen pots without organic amendments, bio-agents and chemical were treated as control. Observations on plant growth parameters (seedling length in cm fresh and dry seedling weight in g) and nematode multiplication (number of galls/20 seedling, number of eggs/20 seedling and final nematode population in the soil/200 cc soil) were made at transplanting time. The plant parameters were maximum and significantly highest in treated nursery (neem cake @ 50 g/pot + Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 50 g/pot) under screen house conditions. Nematode reproduction and multiplication parameters such as number of galls/seedling, number of eggs/seedling and final nematode population were significantly reduced in neem cake @ 50 g/pot + Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 50 g/pot.