Effect of Bacillus spp. on Gerbera plant growth and control of Meloidogyne incognita

Abstract

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Bacillus spp. against Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood infesting gerbera plants (Var. Valletta). Investigations were undertaken in pots filled with 5 kg of sterilized potting mixture consisting of red soil:sand:FYM (2:1:1 v/v) to assess the effect of liquid and talc formulations of Bacillus spp. viz., B. subtilis strain BG42, B. subtilis strain BG37 and B. amyloliquefaciens strain B4. The results indicated that Soil drenching of liquid formulation of B. subtilis strain BG42 @ 1%/m2 (1x108 colony forming units/g) gave maximum reduc-tion of juveniles per 250g soil (67.40%), number of adult females/5g root (73.46%), number of eggmass/5g root (69.44%), gall index (1.67) and increased flower yield/m2 (127.03%). Soil drenching of liquid formulation of B. subtilis strain BG 37 were next in line in efficacy. Further liquid formulation of B. subtilis strain BG42 had a positive influence on growth parameters viz., shoot length, root length, shoot and root weight, number of leaves / plant and flower yield/m2 and quality parameters viz., flower diameter, colour of the flower, length of flower stalk and vase life . The endophytic colonization potential of the Bacillus spp. introduced into the soil was confirmed by reisolating them from gerbera roots.