Management of root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita infesting fig under field conditions

Abstract

A statistically designed field experiment with ten treatments including an untreated control replicated thrice in Randomized Block Design was conducted in root- knot nematode infested fig (cv. Poona fig) orchard. All the treatments were significantly superior over an untreated control in reducing root- knot nematode population, number of root galls and egg masses and increasing the yield of fig. However, soil application of carbofuran 3G at 2 kg a.i./ha was found to be most effective in reducing root-knot nematode population (53.66%), number of root galls (50.19%) and number of egg masses (45.36%) at intermediate stage and increasing the fruit yield of fig (37.85%) with 1:17.79 ICBR at termination. This treatment was followed by the treatment of phorate 10 G at 2kg a.i./ ha. The reduction in root- knot nematode population, number of root galls and egg masses and increase in fruit yield recorded in this treatment were 49.46, 50.11, 42.31 and 28.19%, respectively with 1: 33.64 ICBR. While, at termination stage, the treatment of Phule Trichoderma plus at 20 kg/ha was found to be most effective in reducing nematode population (40.36%), number of root galls (37.08%) and number of egg masses (41.02%) and increasing the fruit yield of fig (13.54%) with 1: 11.20 ICBR. This was followed by the treatments with rest of the biocontrol agents. The reduction in root- knot nematode population, number of root galls and number of egg masses and increase in fruit yield of fig recorded in these treatments ranged from 32.03 to 38.50, 29.31 to 36.00, 31.90 to 35.97 and 11.54 to 20.75%, respectively with 1: 9.80 to 1: 20.04 ICBR.