ECOFRIENDLY MANAGEMENT OF MELOIDOGYNE JAVANICA AND MACROPHOMINA PHASEOLINA DISEASE COMPLEX OF BALSAM THROUGH APPLICATION OF BOTANICALS

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to study the efficacy of botanicals on the management of root-rot and root-knot disease complex of balsam. Individual application of leaves of some plants viz., Calotropis procera(aak), Azadirachta indica (neem) and Acacia nilotica (acacia) significantly improved the plant growth parameters as compared to control. The maximum increase in plant length, dry weight and number of flowers was observed in plants treated with A. indica followed by C. procera and A. nilotica. Amendment of either of the leaves of some plants such as Calotropis procera, Azadirachta indica, Tagetes erecta and Juglans regia significantly improved the plant growth parameters (length, dry weight and number of flowers) and reduced the reproduction factor, number of galls and intensity of root-rot as compared to untreated inoculated plants. Among these, amendments of leaves, C. procera was found to be the most effective in the management of disease complex followed by A. indica, T. erecta and J. regia..