Vol. 12 No. 1
Integrated management of major nematode pests of banana in Gangetic plains of West Bengal
Author(s): K. ROY, S. SARKAR AND A. PRAMANIK
Abstract:
Banana (Musa AAB) is a widely grown fruit crop of India. Intensive cultivation of banana facilitates the nematode disease complex comprising Meloidogyne spp., Rotylenchulus reniformis and Hoplolaimus indicus that often inflict appreciable amount crop loss. An approach was undertaken to manage the nematode disease complex in banana cv. Martaman by integrating cultural practices, biological control agents and chemical nematicide during 2009-11 in nematode-sick plot at BCKV, Nadia, West Bengal, India. Results of two years’ experiments showed that paring + hot water treatment of suckers at 550C for 10 minutes + carbofuran 3G @ 0.5g a.i. plant-1 + neem cake @ 1 kg plant-1 (at the time of planting) improved yield attributes (fingers hand-1, hands bunch-1) and fruit yield of banana by 30% over untreated control and noticeably reduced the soil populations of Meloidogyne incognita, M. javanica, Rotylenchulus reniformis and Hoplolaimus indicus. Root knot index due to infestation of Meloidogyne spp. was also found lowest in this treatment. Other treatments e.g. Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 20g m-2, Trichoderma viride @ 20g m-2 and carbofuran 3G @ 0.3g a.i. m-2 also provided higher fruit yield of banana over untreated control and reduced the soil population of nematodes as well as root-knot index. The return per rupee expense for treatment was maximum of ` 3.65 in carbofuran 3G @ 0.3g a.i. m-2.
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