Management of root knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) infesting pomegranate

The field experiment for management of root knot nematode infesting pomegranate was conducted on the field of AICRP on Arid Zone Fruit Crops Project, MPKV, Rahuri. The experiment was conducted with nine treatments including an untreated control. All the treatments were found to be significantly superior over an untreated control in reducing root-knot nematode population, root galls and egg masses at intermediate and termination stage of the experiment. However, the treatment of fluopyram 400 SC @ 1250 ml/ha was found to be most effective in reducing the root-knot nematode population (49.12%), number of root galls (49.50%) and number of egg masses (48.90%) at intermediate stage. The next effective treatment was combination of bioagent with neem cake Viz., P. fluorescens + neem cake @ 20 kg + 2 tonnes/ha. At termination stage of experiment treatments of combination of bioagents Viz., P. fluorescens + neem cake @ 20 kg + 2 tonnes/ha was found highly effective which was at par with treatments of V. chlamydosporium + neem cake @ 20 kg + 2 tonnes/ha and B. subtilis + neem cake @ 20 kg + 2 tonnes/ha. At termination, the chemical treatment was found inferior to bioagents and organic amendments.