Management of Rotylenchulus reniformis with bio-control agents in cotton

The efficacy of commercial formulations of Vesicular Arbuscular Mycorrhiza, Glomus mosseae, plant growth promoting rhizobacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens and the antagonistic fungus, Trichoderma viride against reniform nematode, Rotylenchulus reniformis, in cotton was studied under green house conditions. Among the three bio-control agents tried, G. mosseae as soil application and P. fluorescens as seed treatment performed well in improving the plant growth and yield of cotton. G. mosseae as soil application recorded maximum reduction of nematode population in roots (72.1%) and soil (81.1%) which was on par with seed treatment of P. fluorescens. These treatments also significantly reduced number of eggs/eggmass. Trichoderma viride both as seed treatment and soil application was less effective in the management of R. reniformis.