AICRP on Nematodes

AICRP on Nematodes in Agriculture

The varied agro-climatic conditions and soils coupled with agricultural cultivation throughout the year have increased nematode pest activities in West Bengal causing a considerable damage to many important crops. Introduction of the project “All India Coordinated Research Project on Plant Parasitic Nematodes with Integrated Approach for their control” by I.C.A.R. in Bidhan Krishi Viswavidyalaya has provided ample opportunity for experimentation of specific problems prevailing in the state and thereby formulating suitable management practices in combating those enemies to make a better harvest. The project is operating in the Directorate of Research, B.C.K.V Mohanpur, Nadia.

Year of start/establishment of the Project: 1988

Staff Strength (Scientific/Technical or Supporting) in Full Details:

One Assistant Nematologist

Infrastructure Available:

Nematology laboratory for working of PG Students (M.Sc/Ph.D)
Sick Plot for Root Knot and reniform nematodes at Central Research Farm in Gayeshpur, Kalyani.
Net house and Micro plot for pilot trials for maintenance of root knot nematode populations .
Other facilities for testing of populations for host reactions, varietal screening and pathogenicity of root knot nematodes

Mandate/Objectives:

To develop state-wise distribution maps of Nematodes
To identify the areas receiving infestation of specific nematodes pest in crops
To make bio-ecological studies of certain important nematodes
To evaluate different varieties/lines towards their resistance against specific nematode species.
To ascertain yield losses in economically important crops due to nematode attack.
To evolve integrated control measures for the nematode pests.
To determine cropping systems for nematode management.
To demonstrate of nematode management technologies in rice vegetables and pulses.

No. of Trials Allocated/Conducted During 2016-25:

Year	No. of trials
2016-17	22
2017-18	22
2018-19	12
2019-20	12
2020-21	12
2021-22	14
2022-23	14
2023-24	18
2024-25	17

Salient Findings:

Nursery bed treatment with Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 20 g m2 (2x108cfu/g), Bacillus subtilis@20 g m2 (2x108cfu/g) and Bacillus pumilus @ 20 g m2 (2x108cfu/g) were found effective in controlling rice root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne graminicola infesting transplanted rice.
Root knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita race 2) population in pulses was found to be suppressed through crop rotation with maize during prekharif, paddy/ blackgram in kharif and cruciferous vegetables in rabi season along with higher income.
Study on determination of host races of Meloidogyne graminicola revealed that Pearl millet (HHB 671) is the most susceptible host plant of Meloidogyne graminicola followed by Sorghum (HJ 541) in comparison with the standard check treatment Rice (PB 1121). Oryza glaberrima line 06 , Oryza glaberrima line 33, Brinjal (BR 112),Tomato (Sel. 7 &120) and Onion (Pusa Madhavi) were categorized as non host plant due to Rf value <1.
Study on determination of host races of Meloidogyne graminicola revealed that Pearl millet (HHB 671) is the most susceptible host plant of Meloidogyne graminicola followed by Sorghum (HJ 541) in comparison with the standard check treatment Rice (PB 1121). Oryza glaberrima line 06 , Oryza glaberrima line 33, Brinjal (BR 112),Tomato (Sel. 7 &120) and Onion (Pusa Madhavi) were categorized as non host plant due to Rf value <1.
Application of carbofuran 3G @ 1 kg a.i. ha^-1significantly increased the yield of rice by 10.84 % with significant reduction in incognita population by 26.70 %. It is found that an infestation of root-knot nematodes in rice cv. Shatabdi inflicted an avoidable yield loss of 9.78 %.
Nursery bed treatment with the microbial consortia Biofor pf-2 @ 20 g/m² was found to be effective in controlling Meloidogyne graminicola population with 21 % yield increase and 30 % reduction in population.
Soil application of Purpureocillium lilacinum@ 2.5 kg along with 2.5 tons of FYM/ha effectively controls the root knot nematode population in soil and root in tomato.

Recommendations at State/National Levels (Variety/ Technologies/Patenting etc):

Management of Meloidogyne graminicola in rice by nursery bed treatment with Pseudomonas flurescens @ 20 g/m².
Hot water treatment at 52-54 ºC for 10-15 min to denematise the seeds infected with white tip nematode in rice.
Overnight soaking of bulbs either in plain water or in 5% neem seed kernel extract against foliar nematode in tuberose.
Soil application of Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 20 g/ m2 and Paring + HWT (550C) + carbofuran @ 0.5g a.i./plant + neem cake @1kg/plant is effective in reduction of root-knot nematode infestation of banana cv. Grand Naine
Growing tolerant varities like Prajwal, Phule Rajni, Shringer against foliar nematode of tuberose.
Soil application of Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 20 g/ m² + Neem cake @100 g/m² effective against RKN in cowpea .
Management of Root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita in bitter gourd by soil application of Purpureocillium lilacinum @ 2.5 kg along with 2.5 tons of vermicompost/ha + Pseudomonas fluorescens @ 2.5 kg/ha along with 2.5 tons of vermicompost/ha.
Management of Meloidogyne incognita in okra by seed treatment with Purpureocillium lilacinum @ 2.5 ml/kg + Pochonia chlamydosporia @ 2.5 ml/kg followed by soil application of vermicompost @ 2.5 ton/ha enriched with Purpureocillium lilacinum and Pochonia chlamydosporia (each @ 5 ml/kg)
Biomanagement of root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) and bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) complex in Brinjal using Bacillus subtilis @ 2.5 kg along with 2.5 tons of FYM/ha.
Bio-management of root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita) in green gram by Soil application of Neem cake @ 1 t/ha & seed treatment of Bacillus subtilis @ 10 g/kg of seed
Management of root knot nematode and fungal wilt complex in guava by applying Pochonia chlamydosporia@ 30 ml/ plant + Bacillus subtilis @ 30 ml/ plant + Neem cake @ 100 g/ plant.

Achievements:

Prepared a district-wise distribution map of phyto-nematodes infecting major crops in West Bengal
Preliminary screening of 2817 germplasm of several crops was done. Among them 65 rice, 50 okra, 10 tomato, 2 brinjal, 3 cowpea, 100 chickpea, 33 pigeon, 10 field pea, 17 lentil, 4 mung bean, 2 urd bean & 6 sunflower germplasm were categorised as resistant to RKN.
Soil solarisation with 25mm sheet for 15 days during May + carbofuran @ 1 kg a.i/ha at 45 DAT was effective against M. graminicola in rice.
Soil application of subtilis@ 2.5 kg along with 2.5 tons of FYM/ha was effective for RKN and bacterial wilt complex in brinjal
Neem cake/ pongamia cake @ 2 tons /ha were found effective in managing RKN in tomato nursery bed.
Reniform nematode was found to be reduced where paddy was grown in the crop
Crop rotation with maize during prekharif, paddy/ blackgram in kharif and cruciferous vegetables in rabi season was found to be effective against RKN.
Soil application of Neem cake & seed treatment of subtilis effectively reduced RKN population resulting in higher yield in green gram