Management of Aphelenchoides besseyi infecting Polianthes tuberosa in West Bengal, India

Abstract

Aim: The study was conducted for management of foliar nematode, Aphelenchoides besseyi through different treatment modules in tuberose, Polianthes tuberose. Methodology: A field experiment was carried out with seven treatment modules with four replications to assess the efficacy of treatment modules to manage the foliar nematode in tuberose variety, Calcutta Double. Observations on germination percentage and spike emergence as well as initial and final nematode population in bulbs and plant growth parameters were analysed.? Results: The experiment was conducted with naturally infected plant of tuberose bearing an initial nematode population per five bulbs. The per cent change over treated bulb was found significantly different from the control. The experiment revealed that the germination percent of tuberose bulbs increased under the treatment modules compared to untreated control. Emergence of 55 per cent and 100 per cent spike in treatment modules was earlier than the untreated check. Plant growth parameters were superior in treatment modules as compared to control. Symptoms like stunted growth of plants prickle like structures on the scape and flower and hardy brown flowers in untreated plants were not found in the treated plots.? Interpretation: Symptom development in different parts of tuberose plants increased with increase in population of foliar nematode rendering to the unmarketable tuberose plants. Therefore, an urgent need of management of foliar nematode is documented with seven treatment modules and the modules were found effective in managing the nematode population in field condition.