Eco-friendly approaches for the management of root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita in butter beans (Phaseolus lunatus L.)

Abstract

Root knot nematode (RKN), Meloidogyne incognita is one of the most important pests of Butter beans, Phaseolus lunatus L. Organic amendments viz., FYM, eucalyptus distillery waste, neem cake and pungam cake bio- inoculants viz., Rhizobium and biocontrol agents viz., Pseudomonas fluorescens (Pfl) Trichoderma viride (Tv 1) were evaluated under field condition during 2013-2014 at upper pulney hills region of Tamil Nadu. The result revealed that seed treatment with Rhizobium 600g/ha seed combined with soil application of FYM @ 10 t/ha, Neem cake and Pungam cake @ 250 kg/ha (each) along with P. fluorescens @ 1.25 kg/ha at the time of sowing significantly high plant growth parameters and yield (5.16 t/ha) coupled with lower RKN population in soil (60.02%) and root (67.76%) and least gall index 1.33 over untreated control and resulted in increased pod yield by 59.48 per cent with benefit cost ratio of 2.22 over the untreated control.