BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF ROOT-KNOT OF TOMATO

Abstract

Extracts of botanicals viz. leaf extracts of neem (Azadirachta indica), marigold (Tagetes patula), dholkalmi (Ipomoea fistulosa), bashak (Adhatoda vasica), shatodrone (Leucas aspera), tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), datura (Datura metal), durba (Cynodon dactylon), thunkuni (Centella asiatica) and biskathali (Polygonum hydropiper); rhizome extracts of ginger (Zingiber officinale) and turmeric (Curcuma longa); mustard (Brassica campestris) oil-cake extract, bulb extract of onion (Allium cepa) and garlic (Allium sativum); fruit extracts of bitter-gourd (Momordica charantia) and pineapple (Ananas comosus) and root extract of shatamuli (Asparagus racemosus) along with BAU-Biofungicide were evaluated in the laboratory on juvenile (Jz stage) mortality of Meloidogyne javanica. The studies were conducted in the laboratory and in the field laboratory of the Department of Plant Pathology, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University (HSTU), Dinajpur, Bangladesh. Out of eighteen extracts of botanicals, Adhatoda vasica (S/100) has been found more effective followed by Ananas comosus (S/10), Brassica napus oil-cake (S/10) and Tagetes patula (S/10) on 100% juvenile (Jz stage) mortality of Meloidogyne javanica after 96 hour of exposure in-vitro. BAU-Biofungicide (2%) exerted superior result on juvenile mortality of Meloidogyne javanica. In case of pot experiment, seven selected extracts of botanicals (leaf extracts of Azadirachta indica, Tagetes patula, Ipomoea fistulosa and Adhatoda vasica; rhizome extract of Zingiber officinale, oil-cake extract of Brassica campestris and fruit extract of Ananas comosus) and BAU-Biofungicide were evaluated against root-knot (Meloidogyne javanica) of tomato var. Raton. Out of the botanical extracts, bashak (Adhatoda vasica) followed by pineapple (Ananas comosus) showed better performance on shoot and root length, shoot and root weight with higher yield of tomato consequently with the reduced galling as well as suppressed number of eggmass, Jo, J3, J4 stages and adult females of Meloidogyne javanica. But BAU-Biofungicide was found superior over the extracts of botanicals. In seedbed experiment, seed treatment with BAUBiofungicide resulted higher response on plant growth of tomato as well as reduced galling incidence, eggmass, juveniles and adult female in tomato root-knot (Meloidogyne javanica) of 30 days old tomato seedling over the control. The selected extracts of botanicals (leaf extracts of Azadirachta indica, Tagetes patula, Ipomoea fistulosa and Adhatoda vasica, thizome extract of Zingiber officinale, oil-cake extract of Brassica campestris and fruit extract of Ananas comosus), BAU-Biofungicide and curaterr were evaluated against rootknot (Meloidogyne javanica) of tomato var. Raton under field condition. Higher plant growth (length of shoot and root, weight of shoot and root), fruit yield (number of fruit as well as weight of fruit per plant) corresponding lower galling incidence (number of galls/g root), eggmass, Jo, J3, J4 and adult females in tomato plants were recorded by applying BAUBiofungicide and curaterr. Out of the extracts of botanicals used, Adhatoda vasica was found superior in controlling root-knot (Meloidogyne javanica) of tomato followed by Ananas comosus by root dipping plus soil drenching after 7 days of transplantation. The highest benefit-cost ratio was recorded in case of BAU-Biofungicide (2%) as root dipping and soil drenching (2%) after 7 days of transplantation followed by spraying of BAU-Biofungicide (2%) at every 10 days interval initiated 14 days after transplantation at 90 days after inoculation.