Effect of different inoculum levels of root knot nematode (Meloidogyne enterolobii) on various growth parameters of tomato plant CV- Bhagya and Kashi Anupam

A glass house pot experiment was conducted to study the effect of different inoculum levels viz.,0, 100, 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 and 8000 second stage juveniles of Meloidogyne enterolobii (J2)/plant for the Lycopersicon esculentum (tomato) plants. grown in sterilised pots. The results indicated that an inoculum level of 500 and above J2/plant significantly reduced the various plant growth parameters (shoot length, root length, fresh shoot weight, fresh root weight, dry shoot weight, dry root weight, number of gall formation and final population of nematodes. An inoculum level of 500 J2 per kg soil and above significantly reduced the various plant growth parameters over uninoculated control and the maximum reduction was obtained at the inoculums level of 8000 larvae of nematode per kg soil. Increase in the inoculum levels of larvae per kg soil decrease the growth parameter of tomato.