Management of root knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita in Okra through bio-agents and neem oilcake

A pot culture study was carried out in net house condition during kharif 2016 to study the efficacy of Trichoderma viride, Pseudomonas fluorescens and neem cake alone and in combinations for management of Meloidogyne incognita in okra. Among all the treatments, soil application of neem cake @ 1 ton/ha at 15 days prior to sowing followed by soil application of Trichoderma viride @ 2.5 kg/ha at 15 days after sowing recorded maximum increase in growth parameters of okra plant (71.4, 72.7, 76.9, 63.9, 67.1 and 76.15 in plant height, fresh shoot weight, fresh root weight, dry shoot weight, dry root weight and root volume, respectively) with lowest reproduction factor (0.34) and highest reduction (79.0%) in root knot nematode population followed by plants treated with soil application of neem cake @ 0.5 ton/ha + T. viride @ 1.25 kg/ha which were at par. Soil application of T. viride in combination with neem cake at different doses were found more effective against M. incognita with increase in plant growth parameters and decreasing root knot nematode population in soil than other treatments.