PERFORMANCE OF NEMATODE RESISTANT VARIETY AND NURSERY BED TREATMENT IN TOMATO AGAINST Meloidogyne spp

Abstract

Tomato is an important vegetable crop  grown extensively Haryana. It is attacked by  root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.).  Avoidable yield losses to the extent of 71.9 and  47.3 per cent due to M. incognita and M.  javanica, respectively have been reported (Jain et  al., 1994). The importance of transplanting  healthy seedlings in the field has been amply  emphasised (Jain et al., 1996), yet farmers take up  sowing in nematode infested nursery beds which  spreads the disease to non-infested areas and  results in heavy yield loss. Use of resistant variety  (Hissar Lalit) or nursery bed treatment with  carbofuran @ 7g/m2 before sowing have been  recommended. Trials were laid out at two  locations during 1996 to evaluate the comparative  performance of, above mentioned recommended  practices.  At location I (Vegetable seed production  farm, KGK, Gurgaon, Haryana) Meloidogyne  incngnita race-2 was encountered, with initial  nematode population (INP) of 156 and 256  J2/250g soil in nursery and main field area  respectively.